North Korea announced in a newly developed long-range cruise missile launch test that it "hit a target 1500 kilometers away."

Cruise missiles fly at low altitudes and are difficult to catch on radar, experts say, a new threat.

"It's the North Korean version of Tomahawk."

North Korean state media reported on the 13th that it had succeeded in launching a long-range cruise missile newly developed by the Academy of National Defense Science for two days until the 12th.



Regarding the flight of the missile, he said, "It was set over Japan's territory and territorial waters, and it just flew along the orbit of a circle or figure 8 for 2 hours 6 minutes 20 seconds and hit a target 1500 km away."



The South Korean news agency's coalition news reports that it is a "North Korean version of Tomahawk," likened to the cruise missile "Tomahawk" owned by the US military.



Yu Koizumi, a military analyst and assistant professor at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo, said, "If you say 1500 km from North Korea, the target is outside the Korean Peninsula, and the main target is Japan, especially the US military base in Japan. Isn't it? Even in the scenario against North Korea, we have to consider the situation where cruise missiles and ballistic missiles fly together. "



Cruise missiles are generally considered to fly at low altitudes and are difficult to catch on radar.



For this reason, Assistant Professor Koizumi said, "I don't know how accurate it is, including the ability to fly 1500 kilometers and enter at low altitudes in the terrain so that it is difficult for the enemy to find." It says it needs analysis.

Expert "Opportunity to think about comprehensive missile aviation defense"

Yu Koizumi, a military analyst and assistant professor at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo, said about this cruise missile, "500 to 800 kilometers is enough to attack South Korea. 1500 kilometers from North Korea is the Korean Peninsula. Other than that, the target is. Given that it was not purposely developed for Russia or China, the main target may be Japan, especially the US military base in Japan. "



Also, according to North Korea's announcement, it is pointed out that this cruise missile has the same size and shape as those of other countries, and its range is about the same as that of the representatives of the United States and Russia.



On the other hand, regarding the ability, "I do not know how accurate it is, including the ability to fly 1500 km and enter at low altitude in the terrain so that it is difficult for the enemy to find."



And, "Cruise missiles that reach Japan have existed for some time, such as increasing the cruise missile force in China, but since it was the first North Korea to make this kind of weapon, it is also a cruise missile in the scenario against North Korea. We must also consider the situation where ballistic missiles fly together. It will be an opportunity to think about comprehensive missile air defense. "

High-ranking official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and South Korea “Close cooperation between Japan, the United States and South Korea”

On the 13th, Mr. Funakoshi, Director of the Asia-Pacific Region of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held discussions with the Director of the Korean Peninsula Peace Negotiations Headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea on the North Korean issue for about an hour and a half.



In the talks, North Korea announced that it had succeeded in launching a long-range cruise missile, and Director Funakoshi said, "If the launch of a missile that sails 1500 km is true, it will show the improvement of North Korea's missile technology. It threatens the peace and security of the region surrounding Japan, "said No Gudok, who said," We are analyzing the intentions of the launch. "



On top of that, on the 14th, they will hold high-level talks between Japan, the United States and South Korea with the addition of the US State Department's special representative for North Korea, Sung Kim, and they will work closely with each other. We have confirmed that we will cooperate with North Korea.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman "Keep self-restraint and compromise"

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a press conference on the 13th, "China has consistently insisted on protecting the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and solving problems through dialogue and consultation. I would like to call on them to stay close to each other, actively engage in dialogue and contact, and constantly promote the process of political resolution. "

U.S. military "monitoring the situation and discussing closely with allies"

The United States Indo-Pacific Army issued a statement on the 12th, "We are monitoring the situation and are in close consultation with allies, etc. This activity focuses on North Korea's continued military planning. It shows that it is a threat to neighboring countries and the international community. The US involvement in the defense of Japan and South Korea is solid. "

Missile launch since March

North Korea's missile launch has been since March.

According to South Korean military officials, two cruise missiles were launched on March 21 from the vicinity of Oncheon, South Pyongan Province, in the west.



At that time, US President Joe Biden was asked by reporters, "Do you think it's a provocation?" And said, "I don't think so. There's nothing new about what they've done." I showed the recognition.



In addition, on March 25, two ballistic missiles were launched toward the Sea of ​​Japan from the vicinity of Hamgyeong (Hamgyong) South Hamgyong (Hamju) in eastern North Korea.



The next day, North Korea announced through state media that it had conducted a launch test of a "new tactical guided bullet" and accurately hit a target 600 kilometers east of the Korean Peninsula on the Sea of ​​Japan.



At that time, President Biden criticized him for violating a UN Security Council resolution banning the launch of ballistic missiles.



After that, the Security Council held an emergency meeting at the request of the United States and issued a statement of the Presidency condemning the launch, but opinions were divided on measures such as imposing sanctions.

Ministry of Defense official "Analyzing the intention of launch and watching"

An official of the Ministry of Defense said, "North Korea's cruise missiles have been pointed out to have a range of several hundred kilometers, but if this report is true, it is 1500 kilometers, and the range is increasing. If you say, "I hit a target 1500 kilometers away," it shows that I also have the ability to guide accurately. "



The distance from North Korea to Tokyo is 1,300 km, and the distance to the U.S. military base in Okinawa is 1,500 km. ".

What is the current state of missile defense?

There are two main types of

missiles that pose a threat to Japan:


ballistic missiles that fly in a parabolic


manner and cruise missiles that fly horizontally like airplanes


.



Of these, ballistic missiles are generally characterized by a longer range and faster speed than cruise missiles, and because they fall at steep angles and at high speeds, extremely accurate systems are required to intercept them.



As North Korea

repeated launch experiments

such as


▽ SLBM = submarine-launched ballistic missile and


▽ ICBM = intercontinental ballistic missile


, the Japanese government regarded ballistic missiles as a more imminent threat, and Aegis ships and ground-based missiles. We have rushed to develop a "ballistic missile defense system" using interceptor missiles, PAC3, etc.



On the other hand, during this period, cruise missiles have become faster and have a longer range.



Since cruise missiles fly at low altitudes, they are difficult to catch with radar in the first place, and it is difficult to deal with them until they approach Japan.



In addition, China and Russia are allegedly developing new cruise missiles that are more difficult to defend, such as ultra-fast ones and stealth ones that are harder to catch on radar.



And this time, North Korea announced that the cruise missile that succeeded in the launch test "hit the target 1500 km away", but if it is possible to fly 1500 km, almost the whole of Japan will be in the range. Become.



Yoji Koda, a former sea general who served as the commander of the Maritime Self-Defense Force, points out that "it is necessary to strengthen not only ballistic missile defense but also anti-aircraft capability assuming cruise missiles."

Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato "Gathering Information in Collaboration with the United States and South Korea with Concerns"

Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato said at a press conference in the morning, "If the launch of a missile sailing 1500 km is a fact, it threatens the peace and security of the region surrounding Japan, and Japan is concerned." Said.



In addition, "We will continue to work closely with the United States and South Korea on North Korea's military operations to collect, analyze, and monitor necessary information. Furthermore, the National Defense Program and the Medium-Term Defense = Medium-Term Defense Program Under these circumstances, we will respond to all threats from the air and strengthen our ability to protect Japan's land, "comprehensive missile air defense capability."



On the other hand, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato revealed that Japan's arrival in the EEZ = Exclusive Economic Zone has not been confirmed.

Korean media "Did the Korean army detect enough?"

The South Korean media has pointed out that the South Korean military may not have been able to detect the launch of the cruise missile.



Of these, the news agency's coalition news said, "The altitude of cruise missiles is so low that they may or may not be caught," according to a South Korean government source. He reportedly suggested that he may not have been able to grasp the movements related to cruise missiles.



In addition, the JoongAng Ilbo in a large letter said that a South Korean government source said, "We could not grasp the launch of the cruise missile in advance and failed to detect it even after the launch." The intelligence officials first learned of the launch with the announcement of North Korea. "