People walk past a television screen showing a news clip showing North Korea’s missile test, at a station in Seoul on January 11, 2022, after North Korea fired a “suspected ballistic missile” ” into the sea, the South Korean military said, less than a week after Pyongyang reported testing a hypersonic missile.
Anthony Wallace | AFP | beautiful pictures
South Korea’s military said North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Saturday, three days before the inauguration of South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, who has vowed to take a hardline stance against the North. Tien.
South Korea’s military said North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile believed to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) into waters off its east coast at around 0:507 GMT on Saturday from around Sinpo, where North Korea keeps submarines as well as SLBM test equipment.
The Japanese Ministry of Defense also tweeted that the projectile could be a ballistic missile. The Japan Coast Guard said it crashed at around 0525 GMT, based on information from the Japanese Defense Ministry.
Japanese broadcaster NHK said the projectile landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, citing government sources.
On Wednesday, North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the sea off their east coasts, South Korea and Japan said, after Pyongyang vowed to develop its nuclear force “at a rapid rate.” as fast as possible”.
The United States estimates that North Korea is preparing the Punggye-ri nuclear test site and could be ready to conduct a test there as early as this month.
Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University, said: “Rather than accepting an invitation to dialogue, the Kim regime appears to be preparing a tactical nuclear warhead test. Time will depend most. at a time when underground tunnels and modified equipment technology are ready”. in Seoul.
“The seventh nuclear test will be the first since September 2017 and heightens tensions on the Korean Peninsula, increasing the risk of miscalculation and miscommunication between the Kim regime and the government,” he said. Yoon’s upcoming right.”
Yoon will take office on Tuesday. US President Joe Biden will visit South Korea and meet him on May 21.
