North Korea fired unidentified projectile in Sea of ​​Japan

Published on : 09/15/2021 – 07:42

North Korea fired an unidentified projectile into the sea on Wednesday (September 15th), according to the South Korean military, two days after Pyongyang announced successful test fires of a new “long cruise missile. scope”.

Pyongyang, which has nuclear weapons, “fired an unidentified projectile into the Sea of ​​Japan,” Seoul Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement to AFP.

No other details were initially communicated, in particular the type of device, the distance traveled and the possible existence of several projectiles.

This information comes two days after the announcement by the official North Korean agency KCNA of test firing of a new “long-range cruise missile” over the weekend. KCNA referred to “strategic weapons of great importance”.

The official North Korean daily Rodong Sinmun published photos on Monday showing a missile exiting like a fireball from one of the five tubes of a launch vehicle as well as a missile making a horizontal flight.

Missiles more difficult to intercept

These long-range cruise missiles, if confirmed to have them, would represent a technological breakthrough for North Korea, analysts said.

They would thus be more difficult to intercept and would constitute a real threat to South Korea and Japan, two allies of the United States.

The missiles fired over the weekend traveled 1,500 kilometers, on two-hour flight paths, tracing eight over North Korea and its territorial waters to reach their targets, according to KCNA.

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Several United Nations Security Council resolutions prohibit North Korea from continuing its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. But Pyongyang is not subject to a ban on developing cruise missiles.

Despite being hit by multiple international sanctions, North Korea has rapidly developed its military capabilities in recent years under the leadership of Kim Jong-un.

Pyongyang has carried out several nuclear tests and successfully tested ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States.

With AFP