Joint Chiefs of Staff: "North Korea launches long-range ballistic missile at high angle... flies over 900 km before landing in East Sea"

Presidential Office Holds NSC Standing Committee Meeting
Opposition to Extended Deterrence Exercise and Security Council Convening

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] On the 18th, North Korea launched one long-range ballistic missile, presumed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), into the East Sea. South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities are conducting a detailed analysis of the missile's specifications.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that at around 5:22 p.m. on the same day, they detected one long-range ballistic missile launched by North Korea from the Pyongyang Sunan area toward the East Sea. The ballistic missile was launched at a high angle, flew approximately 900 km, and landed in the East Sea. Details such as speed and flight time have not been disclosed yet. The Joint Chiefs explained that South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities are conducting a precise analysis of the missile's specifications.

Japan's Ministry of Defense estimated that the North Korean ballistic missile likely fell into the sea west of Oshima Island, Hokkaido. They also estimated the missile's maximum altitude at 5,700 km and its flight distance at 900 km. The Joint Chiefs stated that immediately after the missile launch, South Korea and the U.S. held a coordination meeting to closely share the situation and confirmed that they will further strengthen the combined defense posture against any threats or provocations from North Korea.

The Presidential Office held a Standing Committee meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) chaired by National Security Office Director Kim Sung-han from 6:30 p.m. on the same day to analyze the detailed specifications and implications of North Korea's ballistic missile provocation and discuss countermeasures.

North Korea's ballistic missile launch marks the second ballistic missile provocation this year and comes 48 days after firing a super-large multiple rocket launcher on New Year's Day. It is interpreted as a reaction to the upcoming Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Tabletop Exercise (DSC TTX) scheduled for the 22nd at the U.S. Department of Defense and the recent U.N. Security Council meeting convened under U.S. leadership. Additionally, it appears to be a warning action against the large-scale South Korea-U.S. joint exercise "Freedom Shield (FS)" planned for mid-next month.

In a statement from the Foreign Ministry spokesperson the day before, North Korea warned, "If the U.S. and South Korea proceed with their training plans, which we regard with justifiable concern and grounds as preparations for an aggressive war, as already announced, they will face continuous and unprecedented strong responses never seen before."

They further claimed that the U.S. convening a U.N. Security Council meeting related to North Korea "shows that the U.S.'s attempt to degrade the Security Council into an execution body for their illegal and outrageous hostile policy against the DPRK has reached an intolerable extreme."

The Joint Chiefs of Staff defined North Korea's long-range ballistic missile launch as a serious provocation that threatens peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the international community, and a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. They issued a stern warning and strongly urged an immediate halt. The Joint Chiefs emphasized, "Our military will maintain a firm readiness posture capable of overwhelmingly responding to any provocations by North Korea while closely monitoring related developments in cooperation with the U.S. to prepare for additional provocations."

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