North Korea Test-Fires Ballistic Missile From Submarine: South
MEP: North Korea has reportedly fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile but it failed in its initial flight stage, the South Korean military has announced, according to the local Yonhap news agency.
The launch came a day after the US and South Korea pledged to deploy an anti-missile system and two days after North Korea warned it was planning a tough response to what it called a “declaration of war” from the United States.
The South Korea military said in a statement on Saturday that the missile was launched from a submarine in the waters east of the volatile peninsula at around 11:30 a.m. local time (0230 GMT).
Japan has “strongly condemned” Pyongyang’s recent launch, calling it a “clear challenge to UN Security Council resolutions.”
“We should strongly condemn the launch by working with the international community,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Saturday, according to the Kyodo news agency.
“The SLBM (submarine-launched ballistic missile) was ejected from the submarine normally, but is estimated the initial flight was unsuccessful,” the South Korean military said in a statement.
“Our military strongly denounces such provocative acts by North Korea,” it added.
North Korea, believed to be developing nuclear weapons, is banned by the UN from any use of ballistic missiles.
The North has conducted a string of military tests that began in January with its fourth nuclear test and included the launch of a long-range rocket the next month.
