North Korea throws two unidentified shells into the sea
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02 October 2019North Korea may have tested a ballistic missile launched from a submarine. This is what the South Korean army claims, recalling that it would be the first time since August 2016. According to reports from the Joint Chiefs of Seoul, a first launch took place at 7.11 (00.11 in Italy) "from the sea towards the north-east of Wonsan (east coast) ", and" it is thought that it was a Pukguksong (North Star) that reached a maximum altitude of 910 kilometers and a distance of 450 kilometers ". On 24 August 2016, a Pukguksong-1 missile was tested in the same area, a weapon that multiplies Pyonyang's offensive capacity thanks to greater mobility that makes it more difficult to detect. According to the Japanese government,Pyongyang launched two ballistic missiles, one of which landed in the waters of the Sea of Japan. Previously, the South Korean agency Yonhap had reported the launch of short-range "rockets".
The launch was condemned by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as a violation of UN Security Council resolutions, while the South Korean National Security Council expressed "strong concern" over Pyongyang's move. The regime had equipped itself with a new submarine last July, inspected by leader Kim Jong-un, who had deemed it "capable of implementing the party's military strategy in various circumstances". Seoul intelligence does not rule out that the new submarine could carry three SLBM (submarine-launched ballistic missile) missiles. The US President, Donald Trump, has so far downplayed the regime's launches of bullets and rockets since last May,but North Korea has shown on several occasions its frustration at the stalemate in talks with the United States - also criticized for the joint military exercises with South Korea - which should however resume on 5 October next, according to what was announced by the deputy foreign minister, Choe Son-hui. Today's launch is the ninth since the last meeting between Kim and Trump, on June 30, at the inter-Korean border: since then, Pyongyang has expressed several criticisms of the United States, especially directed at the Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, defined a "toxin" that poisons US diplomacy. Last week, the regime also questioned the possibility of holding a third summit between Trump and Kim, complaining that the United States "did nothing"to follow up on the agreements reached the first summit, in June 2018: the regime had, however, at the same time reaffirmed its appreciation for Trump, asking the US president for a "courageous decision".