North Korea Launches 4 Ballistic Missiles Just Two Days After ICBM Launch (Update)

North Korean Ballistic Missile / Korean Central News Agency [Image Source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] North Korea fired four short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) into the West Sea just two days after launching an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the 5th, the military detected four SRBMs launched by North Korea from Dongrim, North Pyongan Province, into the West Sea between 11:32 a.m. and 11:59 a.m. These missiles were detected flying approximately 130 km, reaching an altitude of about 20 km, and traveling at Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound). The detailed specifications are currently being analyzed precisely by South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities. The military is strengthening its surveillance posture and closely monitoring North Korea's movements.

North Korea has launched ballistic missiles on three of the past four days. On the morning of the 3rd, at around 7:40 a.m., it launched an ICBM presumed to be the Hwasong-17. Although the flight was not fully successful, the two-stage separation was successful, with a maximum altitude of about 1,920 km, a flight distance of 760 km, and a top speed of Mach 15 (fifteen times the speed of sound) detected.

Following the ICBM launch, North Korea fired two SRBMs at around 8:39 a.m., and at approximately 9:35 p.m., it launched three more SRBMs believed to be older liquid-fueled missiles.

Earlier, on the 2nd, North Korea fired about 25 missiles in four rounds over 10 hours, including SRBMs toward international waters south of the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the East Sea for the first time since the division of the Korean Peninsula. The missiles that crossed the NLL were launched from the Wonsan area in Gangwon Province, headed toward Ulleungdo, and fell in waters 26 km south of the NLL, 57 km east of Sokcho, and 167 km northwest of Ulleung. This led to an unprecedented air raid alert being issued across Ulleungdo.

North Korea is presumed to be continuing provocations under the pretext of the large-scale joint air exercise 'Vigilant Storm' conducted by South Korea and the U.S. from the 31st of last month until this day. In addition to deploying over 180 military aircraft flight paths over four hours starting around 11 a.m. the previous day, North Korea also carried out ground attack strikes with bombers, which is also seen as an imitation of Vigilant Storm.

It has been publicly reported through the media that North Korea has launched ballistic missiles 33 times and cruise missiles 3 times so far this year.

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