North Korea tests unknown missile, raising questions about US deterrence
Leader Kim Jong Un (photo: Getty Images)
North Korea launched several ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Sunday, South Korea's military reported, reports YONHAP.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected missiles launched from the Sinpho area in the north at around 6:10 AM.
"Our military maintains a firm readiness posture while closely sharing North Korean ballistic missile information with the U.S. and Japanese sides amid a heightened surveillance posture against additional launches," the JCS statement said.
Leader Kim Jong Un insisted on improving North Korea's arsenal, including missiles and other weapons — he characterized this push as a deterrent against US aggression.
Previous tests
North Korea last launched several short-range ballistic missiles on April 8, marking a rare pair of launches within a single day. The North also launched an unidentified projectile the previous day, but it disappeared shortly after launch, apparently unsuccessfully.
After a series of launches over two days, North Korean state media reported that Pyongyang had tested a tactical ballistic missile with a cluster warhead, claiming it could incinerate any target within its range due to its highest power density.
State media also reported that the North conducted tests of an electromagnetic weapon system and a carbon-fiber bomb-dispersal system, while also checking the combat reliability of a mobile short-range surface-to-air missile system.
Professor Eul-Chul Lim of Kyungnam University said that while the US is focused on Iran, North Korea sees this as a "golden time" to build up its nuclear and missile capabilities.
North Korea has announced a new stage in the development of missile technologies potentially capable of striking the US and its allies. At the same time, experts suggest that such statements from Pyongyang may contain elements of exaggeration for propaganda purposes.
