KABUL (Pajhwok): South Korea’s military says North Korea fired at least one ballistic missile toward the East Sea, which flew more than 700 kilometers before falling into the sea. Following the launch, South Korea’s presidential National Security Office held an emergency meeting.
South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, citing the country’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, reported that the missile was launched at around 6:30 a.m. Saturday from the Wonsan area on North Korea’s east coast toward the East Sea.
According to the report, the missile flew more than 700 kilometers before falling into the sea. South Korean officials said they were analyzing the exact specifications of the missile in cooperation with the United States.
The military did not disclose the specific type of missile, although officials were reportedly considering the possibility that it could be a medium-range or intermediate-range ballistic missile.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said South Korean and US intelligence authorities had been tracking the launch from its early stages and had shared relevant information. The military also increased surveillance for possible additional launches.
The South Korean presidential office also announced that the National Security Office had held an emergency meeting following the missile launch.
The National Security Office said North Korea’s launch of a ballistic missile violated United Nations Security Council resolutions and urged Pyongyang to immediately stop such provocative actions.
Meanwhile, Japanese authorities said the missile fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Reuters reported that Japan’s Coast Guard, citing the Defense Ministry, said the object may have been a ballistic missile and appeared to have fallen into the sea.
The latest launch came amid heightened tensions between the two Koreas following a September 21 landmine blast inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Three South Korean soldiers were injured, two of them seriously.
South Korea has blamed North Korea for the blast and demanded an apology, while North Korea has denied responsibility and rejected Seoul’s accusation.
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