Muristek
Seoul, May 25
North Korea test-launched a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile and two shorter-range weapons into the sea on Wednesday, South Korea said, hours after President Joe Biden ended a trip to Asia where he reaffirmed the US commitment to defend its allies in the face of the North's nuclear threat.
If confirmed, it would be North Korea's first ICBM launch in about two months amid stalled nuclear diplomacy with the United States. Breaking its 2018 moratorium on long-distance launches, North Korea in March claimed to have test-launched its longest-range missile as part of its development of functioning nuclear-armed missiles that can reach the American homeland.
The launches took place as North Korea made a much-disputed claim that its first domestic covid-19 outbreak was weakening.
After an emergency national security council meeting, the South Korean government said North Korea fired a suspected ICBM and two short-range ballistic missiles.
"North Korea's sustained provocations can only result in stronger and faster South Korea-US combined deterrence and can only deepen North Korea's international isolation," the South Korean government statement said.
"(Our) government is maintaining constant readiness to strongly and effectively respond to any kind of North Korean provocation."
South Korea's military said the suspected ICBM reached a maximum height of 540 kilometres (335 miles) while traveling 360 kilometres (223 miles) east after being fired from the North's capital region.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North apparently lost the second missile 20 kilometres (12 miles) into flight, while the third missile flew 760 kilometres (472 miles) on an apogee of 60 kilometres (37 miles).
A JCS statement said the US and South Korean militaries fired two surface-to-surface missiles in response to demonstrate the allies' striking capabilities. It said the allies had detected North Korea's preparations for the launches in advance. It said South Korea's air force on Tuesday conducted an "elephant walk" involving 30, fully armed F-15K fighter jets parading along a runway in formation.