North Korea fires ANOTHER missile into the sea, hours after sparking terror in Japan when long-range missiles sent people fleeing to bomb shelters
- North Korea test-launched four missiles including long-range rocket Thursday
- Long-range missile looked set to fly over north Japan, triggering air raid sirens
- But it failed and broke apart over Sea of Japan before falling short into the ocean
- It is just the latest in a provocative set of tests that threaten the region
North Korea has test-fired another missile into the sea just hours after sparking terror in Japan.
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It takes the total number of missiles fired today to at least four, although the rockets failed mid-flight and dropped into the ocean, South Korea has said.
Sirens sounded in Miyagi, Yamagata and Niigata prefectures early Thursday after the missile was launched near the North Korean capital Pyongyang and looked set to fly over the northern end of Japan’s main island, with people fleeing to bomb shelters.
But Tokyo and Seoul said they lost track of the rocket – presumed to be a new kind of intercontinental ballistic missile – over the Sea of Japan, suggesting it broke apart mid-flight. North Korea also fired two short-range missiles that landed in the sea.
Had the ICBM failed over Japanese territory then it could well have struck an inhabited area and sparked a major crisis. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called the launch ‘absolutely intolerable’ and lodged a protest with the North.
It is just the latest in a series of highly provocative missile tests carried out by Kim Jong-un’s regime that the US says could end with a nuclear test. On Wednesday, Kim test-fired 25 missiles including one that crossed the ocean border with South Korea.
Wednesday’s launches – involving a mixture of short-range missiles – were the most carried out by North Korea in a single day ever.
Seoul responded by firing three air-to-surface missiles back across the maritime border that landed near North Korean territorial waters.
Pyongyang is furious at joint US-South Korean war games taking place on its borders which it says are rehearsals for an invasion.
Washington and Seoul have denied that, saying the drills are defensive and designed to deter Pyongyang. On Thursday, the allies said the exercises – which were due to end Friday – have now been extended to an indefinite date.
The two shorter-range missiles that North Korea tested were fired from Kaechon and flew around 200 miles before crashing down into the Sea of Japan.
Japan’s Defense Minister Yasukazu said one of the North Korean missiles reached a maximum altitude of 2,000km (1,200 miles) and flew about 750km (460 miles).
The Japanese government initially said at least one of the missiles flew over its northern territory but later revised its assessment, saying there were no overflies.
