South Korea said that North Korea on Saturday test-fired what appeared to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile off its eastern coast.
The missile was fired from a location near the North Korean coastal town of Sinpo, where analysts have previously detected efforts by the North to develop submarine-launched ballistic missile systems, said an official from Seoul’s Defence Ministry. He couldn’t immediately confirm how far the missile travelled and where it landed.
North Korea’s acquiring the ability to launch missiles from submarines would be an alarming development for rivals and neighbours because missiles from submerged vessels are harder to detect in advance. While security experts say it’s unlikely that North Korea possesses an operational submarine capable of firing missiles, they acknowledge that the North is making progress on such technology.
North Korea already has a considerable arsenal of land-based ballistic missiles and is believed to be advancing its efforts to miniaturise nuclear warheads mounted on missiles through nuclear and rocket tests.
North Korea last test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile in April, calling it as a success that strengthened its ability to attack enemies with “dagger of destruction.”
The North also test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile on Dec. 25, but that test was seen as a failure, the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The North first claimed a successful submarine-launched missile test in May last year.
The missile was fired from a location near the North Korean coastal town of Sinpo, where analysts have previously detected efforts by the North to develop submarine-launched ballistic missile systems, said an official from Seoul’s Defence Ministry. He couldn’t immediately confirm how far the missile travelled and where it landed.
North Korea’s acquiring the ability to launch missiles from submarines would be an alarming development for rivals and neighbours because missiles from submerged vessels are harder to detect in advance. While security experts say it’s unlikely that North Korea possesses an operational submarine capable of firing missiles, they acknowledge that the North is making progress on such technology.
North Korea already has a considerable arsenal of land-based ballistic missiles and is believed to be advancing its efforts to miniaturise nuclear warheads mounted on missiles through nuclear and rocket tests.
North Korea last test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile in April, calling it as a success that strengthened its ability to attack enemies with “dagger of destruction.”
The North also test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile on Dec. 25, but that test was seen as a failure, the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The North first claimed a successful submarine-launched missile test in May last year.