“US, South Korea, and Japan Bolster Security Cooperation Amid Growing Russia-North Korea Military Ties Concerns”
“Seoul: South Korean Military Confirms North Korea’s Ballistic Missile Launch into Sea of Japan”
The missile launch occurred within a short span following reports from Pyongyang’s state media, indicating North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s supervision of a prosperous test involving a solid-fuel engine for a ‘new-type intermediate-range hypersonic missile.
“Kyodo News Agency reports Japan’s acknowledgment that it ‘appeared’ North Korea fired the missile, with the country’s coastguard indicating the projectile’s descent.”
Tuesday’s launch is the third ballistic missile test so far this year, after the solid-fuel one overseen by Kim in March and another tipped with a manoeuvrable hypersonic warhead in January.
“North Korea asserted last year that it had conducted a successful test of its inaugural solid-fueled Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), marking a significant advancement in the nation’s nuclear deterrence capabilities.”
Solid-fuel missiles do not need to be fuelled before launch, making them harder to find and destroy, as well as quicker to use.
So far this year, the nuclear-armed North has declared South Korea its “principal enemy”, jettisoned agencies dedicated to reunification and outreach, and threatened war over “even 0.001 mm” of territorial infringement.
