This comes amid speculations that the North may be preparing to launch its longest-range missile, its most serious provocation in many years.
The details of the missile explosion were not immediately available. The launch, which was the 10th this year, showed North Korea that it is determined to push ahead with its efforts to modernize its weapons and to pressure its competitors to make concessions in dormant talks on denuclearization.
According to a South Korean military official, the North Korean missile crashed while it was at less than 12.4 mile altitude. He requested anonymity as he wasn’t authorized to talk to media about the matter. The cause of the explosion was not known, he said.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea earlier stated that the launch took place from Pyongyang at around 9:30 AM local time (8:30 PM Tuesday EDT), but did not provide any other details.
Lee Choon Geun is an honorary researcher at South Korea’s Science and Technology Policy Institute. He stated that the missile probably exploded within a matter of minutes after launch. He stated that the missile’s toxic fuels could have a significant health impact if they fell on civilian areas in North Korea. These damages were not reported by the outside.
Later, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command stated that North Korea had launched a ballistic missile. However, it didn’t specify if this was a successful launch. The command statement stated that the launch did not pose an immediate threat for U.S. territory or its allies, but called on Pyongyang not to carry out further destabilizing actions.
Hirokazu Matsuno, the Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary, told reporters that there had been no confirmation of a flight by a ballistic missile. Tokyo is working with Washington and Seoul to investigate what happened.
Experts believe that North Korea’s past failures have helped it move closer to its goal of building a nuclear arsenal capable of threatening the American homeland. Outside analysts saw only one of eight “Musudan” intermediate-range missile test in 2016 as successful. This led to questions about whether North Korea has blocked its path to ICBMs.
The North flew intermediate-range missiles with greater power over Japan in 2017, and three successful test flights of ICBMs were conducted that showed a range that could strike far into the U.S. continental.
The U.N. viewed North Korea’s 2012 and 2016 successful satellite launches as deceitful tests of its long range missile technology.
Last week, the U.S. military and South Korean militaries stated that North Korea had successfully tested an ICBM in two recent launches. This refers to the North’s largest weapon, the Hwasong-17 missile. It was unveiled at a military parade in October 2020.
The launches of the North Korean missiles on February 27th and March 5 were medium-range. Experts believe that North Korea could eventually conduct a full-range ICBM testing.
It was not clear whether Wednesday’s launch included a Hwasong-17-system. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would have likely been there to witness the launch if it was a full-range Hwasong-17 rocket launch.
The state news agency of North Korea released photos Wednesday showing a smiling Kim in a long black leather jacket, as he visited an apartment building under construction near Pyongyang. Although the news agency did not say when Kim was there but typically reports on public events within a few days.
North Korea claimed it had launched two other satellites and that it had also tested cameras and other spy satellite systems. It released photos it claimed were taken during one of its tests. However, it did not confirm the launch of which missile or rocket.
Observers believe that North Korea is trying to increase its ICBM capabilities and to launch its first operational spy satellite into orbit. Kim pledged to purchase an improved ICBM as well as a spy satellite, among a variety of advanced weapons systems that he believes his country requires to deal with the hostilities of America.
The Hwasong-17 can fly up to 9,320 miles. This is enough distance to strike anywhere in the U.S. The missile measuring 82 feet was displayed again in Pyongyang at a defense fair last year. It has not yet been tested-launched.
In 2017, North Korea tested three ICBMs: the Hwasong-14, Hwasong-15 and Hwasong-15. Analysts believe that North Korea may be trying to develop a larger missile to counter missile defense systems.
North Korea’s third and final ICBM launches in November 2017 would mark its most high-profile weapons test since then.
North Korea could call the new ICBM test it a rocket launch to send a reconnaissance satellite into space. It is not a weapon test. Analysts believe that while this could be condemned, it is unlikely to trigger new U.N. sanctions. However, Russia and China have vetoes at the Security Council and would likely oppose it.
The missiles that North Korea tested in this year’s tests were mostly shorter-range and nuclear-capable weapons. This puts South Korea and Japan within striking distance of each other, which are key allies. North Korea conducted seven rounds of missile testing in January, the most since Kim’s election in late 2011.
U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to persuade Pyongyang to give up its nuclear program fell apart in 2019 because of wrangling about U.S. sanctions against the North. Washington has asked North Korea to resume talks, without preconditions. However, the North rejected these overtures and said that the United States must first remove its hostile policies.
North Korea suggested in January that it would lift its four-year moratorium on ICBM testing and nuclear weapons. South Korea’s Defense Ministry reported Friday that it found signs that North Korea is likely to restore some tunnels at its nuclear test site. This was in addition to the nuclear diplomacy that has been suspended for four years.
