"North Korea launches SLBM-estimated short-range missile at sea"

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North Korea fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) from the East Sea on the morning of the 19th, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The Blue House opened the NSC Standing Committee and expressed deep regret.

Correspondent Kim A-young.

[Reporter]

North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile into the East Sea from the eastern sea around Sinpo, South Hamgyong Province, at around 10:17 am today, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

The Sinpo area is where North Korea's submarine building facilities and SLBM bases are located, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff are believed to have launched submarine-launched ballistic missiles and SLBMs.

The missile was detected at an altitude of 60 km and a range of 590 km, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff is conducting a detailed analysis with the possibility of a test launch of a new SLBM from a submarine in mind.

After holding an emergency meeting of the NSC Standing Committee presided over by National Security Office Director Suh Hoon, the Blue House said that it expressed deep regret for North Korea's ballistic missile launch.

The government urged North Korea to return to dialogue as soon as possible, saying that the government was actively consulting with major countries such as the US, China, Japan and Russia to advance the peace process on the Korean Peninsula.

The launch can also be interpreted as the nature of North Korea's armed protests in that it took place at the time when the three heads of intelligence and the North Korean nuclear chief met in Seoul and Washington, respectively.

In a statement, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command condemned North Korea's destabilizing behavior, but said it did not pose an immediate threat to the United States.