[Anchor]
North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the East Sea this morning (October 12). One of them was found to have flown more than 900 kilometers. The launch is analyzed as a show of force in response to South Korea's hypersonic missile test launch disclosed four days ago.
Choi Jae-yeong reports.
[Reporter]
North Korea launched ballistic missiles from around Pyongyang toward the East Sea starting at around 9:20 a.m. today.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that multiple missiles of different types were launched, and that one of them flew more than 900 kilometers.
Japan's Ministry of Defense also announced that "at least two missiles" were fired, analyzing that the missile launched around 9:19 a.m. reached a maximum altitude of 20 kilometers and flew about 220 kilometers, while the missile launched 17 minutes later at around 9:36 a.m. reached a maximum altitude of 70 kilometers and flew more than 910 kilometers.
Possibilities have been raised that the shorter-range missile may be a Hwasong-11-series short-range ballistic missile, which North Korea has deployed operationally, or a KN-25 super-large multiple rocket launcher.
Meanwhile, the missile that flew more than 900 kilometers is analyzed as potentially being a hypersonic missile or a ballistic missile equipped with a high-power warhead.
[Shin Jong-woo / Secretary General, Korea Defense and Security Forum: "If it conducted a glide flight, it is highly likely a hypersonic missile under development by North Korea, and if it lacked glide flight characteristics, it could be a missile equipped with a high-power warhead."]
North Korea's provocation came four days after the South Korean government revealed the success of its first test launch of a domestically developed hypersonic glide vehicle.
[Jang Do-young / Head of Public Affairs Office, Joint Chiefs of Staff: "We currently assess this as a show of force against our successful hypersonic missile test launch conducted on October 8, and..."]
The National Security Office convened an emergency security review meeting to inspect readiness posture and urged North Korea to immediately stop ballistic missile launches.
Video by Kim Hyun-sang | Video Editing by Oh Young-taek | Graphics by Yang Gi-tae
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