North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) from Pyongyang on the 6th into the East Sea.
It is analyzed to be an armed demonstration against the re-launch of US nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in the East Sea, joint exercises between South Korea, the US and Japan, and the UN Security Council's discussion of North Korean ballistic missiles.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said today that it detected two SRBMs fired from the Samseok area in Pyongyang, North Korea, into the East Sea from about 6:01 am to 6:23 am today.
The first foot had a flight distance of 350 km, an altitude of 80 km, and a speed of about Mach 5 (5 times the speed of sound), and the second foot was detected with a flight distance of about 800 km, an altitude of 60 km, and a speed of about Mach 6.
According to the flight trajectory, it is estimated that the first missile is a very large multiple rocket launcher (KN-25) and the second is a North Korean version of the Iskander (KN-23) ballistic missile.
In the case of the KN-23, there is a possibility that performance tests such as adjusting the firing range while varying the warhead weight are in progress.
When North Korea fired missiles in Pyongyang, it mainly used Sunan Airfield, but it is the first time that the name of the Samseok area has appeared as a missile launch site.
Samseok District is located on the west bank of the Taedong River, to the northeast of the Daeseong District, the center of Pyongyang.
The South Korean and American authorities are in the process of evaluating and analyzing the meaning of the region.
Ryu Seong-yeop, an expert at the 21st Century Military Research Institute, said, "Due to the location of the Samseok District, it can be evaluated that the field deployment capability has been reviewed in an open area near a densely populated area."
It is reported that the two missiles fired from the mobile launcher (TEL) flew to the northeast of the East Sea, not the uninhabited island 'Rseom' off Musudan-ri, Gilju-gun, Hamgyeong-do, which North Korea usually uses as an SRBM target.
Considering the type and location of the missiles launched, it is presumed that North Korea launched multiple types of missiles from unfamiliar locations, testing missiles on the battlefield in case of emergency, and devising a plan to neutralize the interception network.
The military authorities are strengthening surveillance and vigilance and maintaining a close readiness posture through ROK-U.S. cooperation.
The Presidential Office held an Emergency National Security Council (NSC) Standing Committee chaired by National Security Office Director Kim Seong-han to receive reports on the situation from the Joint Chiefs of Staff and discuss countermeasures.
Standing members noted that the provocation was carried out during the United Nations Security Council meeting to discuss the launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea, and they strongly condemned it as an unacceptable challenge to the international community.
He also warned that North Korea's provocations would face a stronger response, as demonstrated by the re-deployment of the US carrier strike group including the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan (CVN-76, 103,000 tons) in the East Sea.
Kim Seung-gyeom, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shared the situation through a cooperative meeting between the US and South Korea right after North Korea's ballistic missile launch, and confirmed that the combined defense posture would be further strengthened in the face of any threats and provocations from North Korea.
The military emphasized, "In case of further North Korean provocations, we will maintain a firm readiness posture while closely monitoring and monitoring related trends under close cooperation between South Korea and the United States."
North Korea fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), believed to be a Hwasong-12, into the Pacific Ocean from the Mupyeong-ri area of Jagang Province on the 4th, and fired another ballistic missile two days later.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are rising due to a strong confrontation, with South Korea and the United States responding to North Korea's ballistic missile launch through joint exercises and UN Security Council discussions, and North Korea protesting and provoking again.
North Korea's missile launch is strongly opposed to the Ronald Reagan's return to the waters of the Korean Peninsula.
The Reagan, which left the East Sea after completing the joint South Korea-US-Korea-US-Japan exercise last month, is scheduled to return to the high seas of the East Sea yesterday and participate in the South Korea-U.S.-Japan joint exercise today in response to North Korea's launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile.
It is reported that the South Korean Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force will conduct a missile warning drill that simulates tracking and detection of virtual ballistic missiles to counter North Korean ballistic missiles.
It is analyzed that North Korea is also opposed to the fact that the UN Security Council (Security Council) held a public briefing to discuss the North Korean IRBM launch early this morning in Korean time.
The meeting, which the Korean government also attended as a stakeholder, ended without a conclusion.
North Korea fired its sixth missile in the past 12 days, including IRBM and today's missile, and fired a missile once every two days.
North Korea has launched 22 ballistic missiles and two cruise missiles this year.
It is the 10th missile launch since the inauguration of the Yun Seok-yeol government.
The Japanese government said that the first missile was launched around 6 am and flew 350 km at an altitude of 100 km, and the second missile was launched 15 minutes later, with an altitude of 50 km and an estimated flight range of 800 km.
This time, there was no significant difference from the announcement of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
(Photo = provided by the Navy, Yonhap News)