North Korea fires ballistic missile into waters off Japan

BoomRadioNG | October 19, 2021

South Korea’s military has said North Korea has fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile into waters off the coast of Japan. The launch comes weeks after South Korea unveiled its own such weapon.

On Tuesday South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said one missile was launched from the port of Sinpo, in the east of North Korea where Pyongyang usually bases its submarines. It landed in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan.

North Korean Leader
Kim Jong un

South Korean media reported that this particular missile is believed to have travelled between 430 and 450km at an apogee – or maximum height – of 60km. It is unclear if the missile was launched from a submarine or from an underwater platform.

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said there were two ballistic missiles fired, calling the launches “very regrettable”.

Paul Ayorinde