North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles, the South Korean military announced, and one of the missiles, according to Seoul, flew more than 900 kilometers before falling into the sea.
The Chief of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, Jang Do-yang, said that different types of missiles were launched from areas around Pyongyang and that one of the missiles flew more than 900 kilometers. It was not specified how many missiles were detected.
Japan’s Deputy Defense Minister Takashi Kojari stated that Tokyo observed at least two missiles, launched 17 minutes apart, which fell into waters outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Kojari noted that the first missile flew about 220 kilometers, and the second more than 910 kilometers, and that the trajectory was “irregular,” indicating the possibility that it was hypersonic weaponry.
There are no reports of damage to aircraft or ships. A South Korean military official assessed that the latest tests were likely intended to improve missile technology and could represent a response to recent hypersonic tests by South Korea.
Japan has lodged a protest with North Korea over the latest tests through its embassy in Beijing.
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