North Korea Submarine Missile Launch Fails
by VOA News July 09, 2016
North Korea has test-fired a ballistic missile from a submarine, but the missile apparently failed after launch.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency says the missile's engine ignited, but exploded about 10 kilometers into the air. Yonhap said the the missile traveled just a few kilometers across the water.
A similar test in April also failed.
The news agency says Pyongyang fired the missile from a 2,000-ton submarine late Saturday morning from North Korea's east coast near the city of Sinpo.
South Korean Defense Ministry officials said they could not confirm how far the missile traveled or where it landed, but also said, "North Korea has been persistent in violating U.N. resolutions by launching ballistic missiles continuously."
U.S. Navy spokesman Commander Gary Ross issued a statement saying, "We strongly condemn this and North Korea's other recent missile tests, which violate U.N. Security Council Resolutions explicitly prohibiting North Korea's launches using ballistic missile technology."
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also condemned the launch.
The test-firing comes a day after South Korea and the United States said they would deploy an advanced missile defense system in South Korea to counter the threat from a nuclear-armed North Korea.
The announcement drew a quick protest from China, as well as from Russia and Pyongyang.
Security analysts have said it is unlikely North Korea has the technology to successfully launch missiles from submarines, but admit Pyongyang is making strides towards that goal.
China, North Korea's key ally, has urged the government of President Kim Jong Un to return to international talks and dismantle its nuclear program in return for economic assistance and security guarantees.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
