Japan: "North Korea SLBM-Estimated Ballistic Missile Reached 50km Altitude, Flew 600km, Fell Outside EEZ"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] On the 7th, the Japanese government announced that the projectile launched by North Korea into the East Sea is a short-range ballistic missile presumed to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).

According to Kyodo News, Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo told reporters that North Korea fired a ballistic missile, with a flight altitude of about 50 km and a flight distance of about 600 km, and it is presumed to be an SLBM.

Defense Minister Kishi stated, "We strongly condemn this as a violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions," and said that Japan has lodged a protest with North Korea.

Local media reported that the ballistic missile is presumed to have fallen outside Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and there has been no information of damage to ships or other vessels.

Defense Minister Kishi also said, "There is a possibility that North Korea could be ready for a nuclear test as early as this month," adding that the Ministry of Defense (Japan) shares the same assessment as the United States.

U.S. State Department Deputy Spokesperson Jalina Porter said at a press briefing on the 6th (local time) in response to a question about North Korea's nuclear test preparations, "The United States assesses that North Korea is preparing the Punggye-ri nuclear test site and could be ready to conduct a seventh test there as early as this month."

Prior to the Japanese government announcement, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that at around 2:07 p.m. on the same day, North Korea launched one short-range ballistic missile presumed to be an SLBM into the East Sea from the Sinpo maritime area in South Hamgyong Province.

This launch came just three days after North Korea fired one ballistic missile presumed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the East Sea from the Pyongyang Sunan area at 12:03 p.m. on the 4th, marking the 15th show of force revealed this year.

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