[Breaking News 2] North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Following Nighttime Threat Flight

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] North Korea launched a ballistic missile into the East Sea immediately after a threatening flight by military aircraft on the 14th.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the 14th, North Korea launched a ballistic missile shortly after conducting a threatening flight with about 10 military aircraft south of the tactical control line from around 10:30 PM on the 13th to about 12:20 AM on the 14th. North Korea had launched ballistic missiles seven times from the 25th of last month to the 9th of this month, announcing on the 10th that these launches were part of 'tactical nuclear operation unit training' led by Chairman Kim Jong-un, and has resumed provocations since then. The tactical nuclear operation unit training included a total of six launches of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) and short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) during this period.

North Korea began provocations by launching a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) from a reservoir near Taechon, North Pyongan Province, on the 25th of last month. The unusual reservoir launch caught the South Korea-US surveillance network off guard. Subsequently, short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) were launched into the East Sea from various locations: around Sunan, Pyongyang on the 28th; around Sunchon, South Pyongan Province on the 29th; around Sunan, Pyongyang on the 1st of this month; around Samseok, Pyongyang on the 6th; and around Muncheon, Gangwon Province on the 9th.

On the 4th, North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), presumed to be an improved version of the Hwasong-12, at its maximum range, recording a flight distance of 4500 km. North Korea claimed that through the seven ballistic missile launch trainings conducted by tactical nuclear operation units, they demonstrated the capability to "strike and annihilate targets at the desired time, place, and to the desired extent," revealing their intention to attack "anytime, anywhere."

Recent provocations are retaliatory demonstrations against the arrival of the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan (CVN-76, 103,000 tons) in Busan on the 23rd of last month; the South Korea-US joint naval exercises from the 26th to the 29th; the South Korea-US-Japan anti-submarine warfare exercise on the 30th; the aircraft carrier's return on the 5th of this month; and the South Korea-US-Japan missile defense exercise on the 6th. North Korea has launched ballistic missiles 24 times and cruise missiles twice this year. Since the inauguration of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, this is the 12th missile launch.

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