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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Conflict & Security

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile; Experts Suspect Test of Russia-Bound or New Weaponry

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea, which landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone after flying about 700 kilometers.
  • The rare silence from Pyongyang following this and a previous launch on August 6 has fueled speculation about testing upgraded missiles for Russia or new secret weapons.
  • Experts suggest North Korea might be testing improved missiles for export to Russia or developing new technology, potentially for submarine-launched ballistic missiles, amid heightened regional tensions.

North Korea launched a ballistic missile into the East Sea on August 12, which traveled approximately 700 kilometers before landing outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. This marks the second launch in less than a week, following one on August 6.

The missile flew about 700 kilometers and landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.

— South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff / Japan's Ministry of DefenseReporting the details of the missile launch.

Pyongyang has remained unusually silent about both launches, a departure from its typical practice of announcing tests via state media within one to two days. This silence has led to speculation among experts and observers that North Korea might be testing upgraded missiles intended for export to Russia or developing highly classified new weapons.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff reported detecting the missile launch from Wonsan around 6 AM. Japan's Ministry of Defense stated the missile reached an altitude of about 90 kilometers and caused no damage to ships or aircraft. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi condemned the act as a threat to regional peace and lodged a protest through the embassy in Beijing.

This action threatens regional peace.

— Shinjiro KoizumiJapan's Defense Minister condemning the missile test.

Experts like Cho Han-bum from the Korea Institute for National Unification and Professor Yang Moo-jin from the University of North Korean Studies suggest the tests could involve improved missiles for Russia or novel weaponry. Yang also noted that North Korea's development of new nuclear submarines might be linked to accumulating technology for submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

North Korea may be testing improved missiles for export to Russia or new types of weapons.

— Cho Han-bumA senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification on potential motives.

The timing of the launch is particularly sensitive. It follows Japan's Aegis destroyer, JS Chokai, test-firing Tomahawk cruise missiles with U.S. support in late July, which drew a warning of military response from Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un's sister. Analysts believe the missile's trajectory, approximately 700 kilometers to the Sasebo naval base in Japan, indicates a potential demonstration aimed at Japanese military activities. The launch may also be a protest against the upcoming ROK-U.S. joint military exercise, "Ulchi Freedom Shield," scheduled from August 17 to 27.

North Korea is accumulating technology for submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

— Yang Moo-jinProfessor at the University of North Korean Studies on technological development.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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