April 19, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] North Korea launched a ballistic missile off its east coast Sunday, marking its first provocation since US President Donald Trump took office, South Korea’s military officials said.

The missile was lifted off at 7:55 a.m. from Panghyon in North Pyongan Province, near the Chinese border, where the regime fired an intermediate-range Musudan missile last October, and flew up to 550 kilometers before falling into the East Sea, according to Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The military here assessed the missile was a 1,300-kilometer-range Rodong, but did not rule out the possibility that it could be a new variant of Musudan that can fly over 3,000 kilometers. 

Seoul, Washington and Tokyo condemned the launch as a “flagrant and clear” violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

“Given the missile’s trajectory and flight distance, we believe it would be a Rodong-class missile. But there is a possibility that it could be another type of missile,” said a JCS official on the customary condition of anonymity, adding the military is currently analyzing the event along with the US.

“Our assessment is that it is a part of a show of force in response to the new US administration‘s hardline position against the North.” 

But the official downplayed the possibility the missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile, citing a different flight pattern. Until recently, North Korea has claimed to be in a “final phase” of developing ICBM and threatened to fire it “anytime and anyplace.”

The US Strategic Command also confirmed the latest launch, saying the projectile is believed to be either a medium- or intermediate-range missile.

Shortly after liftoff, Cheong Wa Dae convened a National Security Council meeting chaired by its chief Kim Kwan-jin. Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn also said earlier in the day that the government is working with the international community to seek measures commensurate with Pyongyang’s act.

The event came shortly after Trump’s first summit as president with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Washington, during which Trump called the North‘s nuclear and missile threats a “very high priority.” The two leaders held an impromptu news conference in Florida on Sunday, with Abe lambasting the launch as “absolutely intolerable” and Trump pledging the US’ “100 percent” commitment to its allies.

Last year, the communist state staged 24 missile launches and two nuclear tests, including eight launches of the Musudan missile, which can be fired from undetectable mobile vehicles. But the most recent firing in October was considered to be a failure.

Cheong Seong-jang, a senior fellow at the Sejong Institute, said Pyongyang’s missile capability is reaching a “stable level,” noting the range shown during the newest launch was greater than last year’s attempts.

“They appeared to be successful in their first launch of mid-range missile this year,” Cheong said. “Not only do they want to develop their missile capability, they need to show their commitment to maintaining assertive stance against the new US administration.”

By Yeo Jun-suk/The Korea Herald (jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)