North Korea launches ‘intercontinental ballistic missile’

Reuters news agency, citing a statement from the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that North Korea launched an “unidentified object” into the eastern sea today (March 24).

Meanwhile, Yonhap news agency reported that the object launched could be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fired in an “arc” trajectory into space.

South Korea’s Defense Ministry has not confirmed whether the recent test was related to an ICBM. North Korea has not test-fired such missiles at long ranges since 2017.

The Japanese government also said the latest launch was likely a ballistic missile. The coast guard has issued an urgent warning to ships about the object “possibly a potential ballistic missile launched from North Korea”.

The latest test was North Korea’s 13th weapons test since the beginning of the year so far. Last week, South Korea’s military said North Korea had test-fired what it suspected was a ballistic missile, but it appeared the missile exploded shortly after leaving the launch pad.

On March 20, South Korea announced that North Korea had launched at least four rockets in about an hour at an unspecified location in South Pyongan province. The country’s National Security Council held an emergency meeting and called on forces to be ready to “prevent a security vacuum during the transition of government”.

The United States and South Korea have repeatedly warned in recent weeks that North Korea may be preparing for its first long-range ICBM test-firing in five years.