North Korea sends missile soaring over Japan in escalation

AP

Seoul, October 4

North Korea on Tuesday fired a ballistic missile over Japan for the first time in five years, forcing Japan to issue evacuation notices and suspend trains during the flight of the nuclear-capable weapon that could reach the US territory of Guam and beyond.

The launch was the most provocative weapons demonstration by North Korea this year as it ramps up missile tests in its push to build a full-fledged nuclear arsenal that viably threatens US allies and the American homeland and earns the country recognition as a nuclear state.

The United States said it strongly condemns North Korea's “dangerous and reckless decision” to launch what it described as a “long-range ballistic missile” over Japan.

“This action is destabilising and shows (North Korea's) blatant disregard for United Nations Security Council resolutions and international safety norms,” it said.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol earlier said the missile had an intermediate range, while Japanese Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada said it was believed to have an intermediate range or longer.

Japanese authorities alerted residents in northeastern regions to evacuate to shelters, in the first “J-alert” since 2017 when North Korea fired an intermediate-range Hwasong-12 missile twice over Japan.

Trains were suspended in the Hokkaido and Aomori regions until the government issued a subsequent notice that the North Korean missile appeared to have landed in the Pacific. In Sapporo city, subways were also temporarily suspended, with stations packed with morning commuters.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters the latest firing "is a reckless act and I strongly condemn it.”          

According to South Korean and Japanese estimates, the missile traveled about 4,500-4,600 km at a maximum altitude of 970-1,000 km.

The missile's flight distance showed the missile had enough range to hit the US Pacific territory of Guam, home to the US military bases that sent advanced warplanes to the Korean Peninsula in shows of force in past tensions with North Korea.

Tuesday's launch is the fifth round of weapons tests by North Korea in the past 10 days in what was seen as an apparent response to military drills between South Korea and the United States and other training among the allies including Japan last week.

#Japan