[Comprehensive Report 2] North Korean Ballistic Missile Explodes Immediately After Launch

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] North Korea conducted a test launch of the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in Pyongyang on the 16th, but it reportedly exploded in mid-air at an altitude of 20 km.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that "North Korea launched an unidentified projectile around 9:30 a.m. today in the Sunan area of Pyongyang, but it is presumed to have failed immediately after launch."

The launched missile was detected to have exploded in mid-air below an altitude of 20 km. Accordingly, the explosion debris is expected to have scattered over the skies of Pyongyang before falling.

The projectile is known to be the Hwasong-17. North Korea launched the Hwasong-17 again on this day, following launches on the 27th of last month and the 5th of this month.

South Korean and U.S. authorities assess that there is a possibility of missile launches at any time from specific areas, including the Sunan Airfield area in Pyongyang.

The United States recently deployed the RC-135V (Rivet Joint) and on this day also dispatched the Cobra Ball (RC-135S) reconnaissance aircraft over the Korean Peninsula. The RC-135S, which departed from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, is equipped with state-of-the-art electro-optical equipment capable of tracking ballistic missile trajectories from long distances. This reconnaissance aircraft, specialized in detecting and tracking ballistic missiles, is known to have flown over the Seoul metropolitan area and the West Sea, conducting reconnaissance around the Sunan area in North Korea.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.