Missile Appears to Fail Mid-Flight, Falling Outside Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone
In a significant yet concerning development, North Korea launched at least one ballistic missile towards the Sea of Japan early Wednesday morning. According to the Japanese government, the missile appeared to have landed in waters outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, and no damage has been reported.
The South Korean military detected the missile launch from near Pyongyang at around 5:30 a.m., suggesting the launch might have ended in failure. A military source informed Yonhap News Agency that North Korea might have test-fired a hypersonic missile. The missile is estimated to have flown over 200 kilometers, reaching a maximum altitude of approximately 100 kilometers before falling into the sea off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula, according to Japan’s Defense Ministry.
In response to the launch, Japan lodged a stern protest with Pyongyang, condemning the missile test as a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and a threat to international peace and security. Senior officials from Japan, the United States, and South Korea, responsible for North Korean issues, held phone talks and collectively condemned the action.
The missile launch follows North Korea’s recent condemnation of the U.S. nuclear-powered carrier Theodore Roosevelt’s visit to Busan. North Korea had warned of a potential military demonstration to ensure deterrence. The carrier is scheduled to participate in a joint defense drill, named Freedom Edge, with South Korea and Japan later this month near the Korean Peninsula.
Additionally, North Korea has recently released balloons carrying trash into South Korea, escalating tensions further. Japan, the United States, and South Korea have criticized Pyongyang for its repeated ballistic missile launches and have strengthened their trilateral security ties through joint exercises and real-time information sharing on North Korean missile activities.
The deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia also raised alarms. Last week, leaders from both nations signed a new partnership treaty reportedly stipulating mutual defense, which has drawn severe criticism from the international community.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that the launch on Wednesday originated from Pyongyang and appeared to fail before landing in the sea. Initially, it was believed that North Korea had launched a ballistic missile. Japan’s defense ministry stated that the missile had reached an altitude of about 100 kilometers (62 miles) and traveled over 200 kilometers (124 miles) before falling outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
Earlier this week, North Korea had criticized the deployment of the U.S. aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt for joint military drills with South Korea and Japan, warning of an “overwhelming, new demonstration of deterrence” as a result. In a show of solidarity, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol boarded the U.S. aircraft carrier, marking the first time a sitting president has done so since 1994. President Yoon emphasized the strength of the alliance, claiming it to be the world’s greatest and capable of defeating any enemy.
Hypersonic weapons, which North Korea is suspected of testing, are considered the next generation of arms. These weapons aim to reduce adversaries’ reaction time and circumvent traditional defense mechanisms, posing a significant threat to global security.
As the situation develops, the international community remains on high alert, monitoring North Korea’s actions closely and reinforcing diplomatic efforts to maintain stability in the region.