North Korea fires ballistic missiles as US aircraft carrier prepares for drills with South Korea
A file image of a missile launch by North Korea is shown on a news program at Seoul Station in Seoul, Sunday. North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile Sunday into the East Sea in an apparent protest against a U.S. aircraft carrier that visited South Korea for joint military exercises. AP-Yonhap |
By Nam Hyun-woo
North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile into the East Sea, Sunday, in what appears to be a protest against U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan's arrival in Busan for a combined exercise with the South Korean Navy.
According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the North fired one ballistic missile from Taechon County, North Pyeongan Province at 6:53 a.m. The military said the short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) flew approximately 600 kilometers to a maximum height of 60 kilometers at a speed reaching Mach 5.
Intelligence officials of South Korea and the U.S. believe the North launched a variant of the KN-23, also known as the North Korean version of the Russian Iskander-M, from a transporter erector launcher.
This is the 19th missile that the North has fired this year and the fifth missile provocation since the conservative President Yoon Suk-yeol took office in May. Monday's launch came 113 days after Pyongyang launched eight SRBMs on June 5.
A day earlier, the military detected signs that the North was set to launch submarine launched ballistic missiles, which may pose a greater threat to Seoul's national security. But the JCS sees a slim chance of the latest launch being an SLBM, given the missile on Sunday was fired from inland.
The USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier is docked in Busan, Friday. The visit is the nuclear-powered carrier's first in five years amid growing threats from North Korea. UPI-Yonhap |
Experts said Sunday's launch appears to be the North's protest against a scheduled joint maritime exercise in the East Sea, involving the USS Ronald Reagan carrier strike group. The aircraft carrier, along with cruiser USS Chancellorsville and destroyer USS Barry, docked in South Korea's southern port city of Busan on Friday for the exercise, which will take place from Monday until Thursday.
"The distance between Taechon Airport in the North and Busan Port is about 620 kilometers," said Kim Dong-yup, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies. "If the North was to launch the missile toward Busan, not into the East Sea, the missile could reach the carrier. Pyongyang has used similar tactics in the past."
Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, center, speaks with Rear Adm. Michael Donnelly, left, commander of the Carrier Strike Group 5, during his visit to the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier in Busan, Saturday. Courtesy of Ministry of National Defense |
The JCS refused to elaborate on its analysis into why the North fired the missile from Taechon, and said an SRBM is inappropriate for striking an object in the sea. But some experts are saying an aircraft carrier can be a target given its size and maneuverability.
Soon after the launch, standing members of Seoul's National Security Council held a meeting and denounced the launch as "a clear violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and a provocation that heightens tensions on the Korean Peninsula and its surroundings."
The members also said the government will reaffirm its strong intention to neutralize any type of North Korean missile provocation and upgrade the combined defense capability through the upcoming joint exercise with the strike group.
The meeting was participated by Seoul's National Security Advisor Kim Sung-han, Foreign Minister Park Jin and other ranking officials in charge of national security. President Yoon Suk-yeol did not participate in the meeting.
(责任编辑:关于我们)
推荐文章
-
Apple finally sends out payments for MacBook's butterfly keyboard settlement
Apple is finally paying out a $50 million settlement over its defective MacBook butterfly keyboards. ...[详细] -
中国山东网9月12日讯近日,在天猫99酒水节暨2019年中国酒类消费者趋势发布会上,青岛啤酒官方旗舰店荣膺天猫啤酒类目年度最高奖项——“2019年度酒类舰长&rdq ...[详细]
-
近年来,共享经济的蓬勃发展带动了中国联合办公的高速发展,其中,北京、上海、广州一线城市占据大部分联合办公运营商数量。目前,新一线城市青岛紧随北上广之后,成为全国联合办公第五城。共享经济正在悄悄地改变人 ...[详细]
-
活动现场 吴永红 摄本报讯为深入推进我市乡村文化振兴,激发全市乡村文化活力,欢庆第4个中国农民丰收节,9月10日下午,2021年雅安市首届乡村文化振兴魅力乡镇竞演大赛暨庆祝中国农民丰收节活动在市区三 ...[详细]
-
Hannah Gais ,July 16, 2024 To Russia, with ...[详细]
-
中国证券监督管理委员会第十八届发行审核委员会2019年第56次发审委会议于2019年6月13日召开,青岛国林环保科技股份有限公司、北京值得买科技股份有限公司(首发)获通过。成为2019年青岛辖区第二家 ...[详细]
-
中国山东网-感知山东7月20日讯 为融入助推青岛国际时尚城建设攻势,繁荣青岛西海岸夜生活,2019年7月19日晚,胭脂酒馆酒吧管理集团又一品牌力作——胭脂公社(胭脂精酿),在金 ...[详细]
-
中国山东网-感知山东7月20日讯 为融入助推青岛国际时尚城建设攻势,繁荣青岛西海岸夜生活,2019年7月19日晚,胭脂酒馆酒吧管理集团又一品牌力作——胭脂公社(胭脂精酿),在金 ...[详细]
-
9 Planetariums to Get Lost in the Cosmos
The constellations, planets, and moons that make up the night sky feel far from human reach—because ...[详细] -
本报讯9月8日,“工商银行杯”2021年雅安市第二届退役军人创业创新大赛在天全县举行。市创新创业服务中心场外孵化项目——雅安尤理农业发展有限公司获得此次比赛第一名,并将代表我市参加四川退役军人创业创新 ...[详细]
热点阅读