North Korea has test-fired what appears to be a ballistic missile, South Korean and Japanese officials say, nearly a month after the latest round of missile tests. Only few details were immediately available.
The missile was launched at 9:10 a.m. local time on Tuesday near Banghyon in North Pyongan Province, according to the South Korean and Japanese governments. There was no immediate word on the exact type of missile.
Japan said the missile may have fallen into waters of Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Tuesday’s test comes after months of escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, fueled by North Korea’s missile tests and its advancing nuclear weapons program, as well as U.S. military exercises and statements by U.S. President Donald Trump.
North Korea has carried out a series of missile tests over the past few months. Most importantly, on May 13, North Korea test-fired a newly-developed mid-to-long range ballistic missile which reached an altitude of 2,111 kilometers (1,311 miles) and flew 787 kilometers (489 miles).
North Korea hailed the launch as a major success and said the Hwasong-12 missile was capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. The missile’s extreme height suggests it would be capable of reaching the U.S. territory of Guam, a significant development for North Korea’s missile technology.
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