South Korea says North Korea fired a new missile into the sea

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from an area in or around Pyongyang at around 2:55 p.m. local time. The missile flew about 1,000 kilometers before crashing into the sea. This was North Korea's first missile launch in 2024 amid rising regional tensions.

North Korea test-fired a new high-thrust solid-fuel weapon in November 2023. Photo: KCNA

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it has shared data on North Korean missiles with the United States and Japan and is conducting an analysis of their technical specifications. Last month, South Korea, the United States, and Japan fully activated a system for sharing real-time data on North Korean missile warnings.

Last week, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won Sik said North Korea could test-fire a new type of IRBM as early as this month, following a test of a solid-fuel engine for the IRBM last November.

South Korean officials believe that the solid-fuel IRBMs being developed by North Korea are capable of striking U.S. military bases in Japan and Guam. IRBMs have a range of up to 5,500 km.

Solid-fuel rockets are known to be more difficult to detect before launch than liquid-fuel rockets, which require more preparation, such as fuel injection.

North Korea's missile launches and South Korea's joint military exercises with the US and Japan have heightened tensions in the region. On January 7, North Korea conducted artillery firing exercises near the maritime border between the two countries.

This incident prompted South Korea to conduct live-fire exercises from the northwestern border islands of Baengnyeong and Yeonpyeong for the first time in over six years.

Hoang Anh (according to Kyodo, Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/han-quoc-noi-trieu-tien-phong-mot-ten-lua-moi-ra-bien-post280918.html