N/Korea Missile Test Fails Again, Angers U.S, Others
North Korea fails to succesfully test missile again[/caption]
North Korea on Saturday launched a ballistic missile that blew up over land, a spokesman for the U.S. Pacific Command said.
The missile didn’t leave North Korean territory, U.S. Navy Cmdr. Dave Benham said.
A U.S. military assessment found the main part of the missile landed approximately 35 kilometers (22 miles) from Pukchang airfield, a U.S. official told CNN.
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“North Korea disrespected the wishes of China & its highly respected President when it launched, though unsuccessfully, a missile today. Bad!,” U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted.
‘Continuously playing with fire’
South Korea condemned the “provocative action,” saying it clearly violated UN Security Council resolutions and constituted a serious threat to peace and security.
“It demonstrates once again the regime’s belligerence and recklessness of categorically disobeying the international community’s resolve to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea,” the foreign ministry said.
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“The South Korean government solemnly warns if the regime refuses to denuclearize, while continuously playing with fire against the entire world, it will only face rigorous punitive measures, including those of the UN Security Council.”
But South Korean officials said the test likely was a failure.
“We are analysing additional information,” the nation’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. “Our military is maintaining a thorough defense posture while keeping a close eye on the possibility of North Korea’s further provocations.”
Japan launched a protest through its diplomatic channel in Beijing, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.
Suga said Japan won’t tolerate repeated provocative actions by North Korea and asked the Japanese public to remain calm.
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White House officials said Trump was briefed as Air Force One returned to Maryland from Atlanta, where Trump earlier addressed a meeting of the National Rifle Association.
The test-fired missile probably was a medium-range ballistic missile called a KN-17, the U.S. official said. The KN-17 is a land-based solid-fuel missile fired from a mobile launcher.
There has been no announcement on North Korean state television, CNN’s Will Ripley in Pyongyang reported.
– CNN
