North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the sea on Saturday, according to South Korea and Japan, a day after Pyongyang rejected Seoul's claim that its mines wounded South Korean soldiers in the DMZ.
Key facts
- A ballistic missile was fired from the Wonsan area at about 6:30am on Saturday, South Korea's military said.
- The missile flew more than 700km (434 miles) toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan.
- The launch came a day after North Korea rejected Seoul's accusation that its mines wounded South Korean soldiers in the DMZ.
- Seoul and Washington were analysing the test for further details.
- Kim Jong-un's sister had denounced South Korea the day before over the mine claims.
North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the sea on Saturday, South Korea and Japan said, according to the Guardian. South Korea’s military reported the launch came from the North Korean port city of Wonsan, as noted by Al Jazeera.
The missile was launched from the Wonsan area at about 6:30am toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, and flew more than 700km (434 miles), the South Korean military said, according to the Guardian.
The launch followed rising tensions along the demilitarised zone (DMZ). A day earlier, North Korea had rejected Seoul’s accusation that its mines wounded South Korean soldiers, the Guardian reported.
According to the Guardian, Kim Jong-un’s sister had denounced South Korea the day before the launch for claiming the North’s mines wounded the South’s soldiers in the DMZ.
Seoul and Washington were analysing the test for further details, the South Korean military added, as reported by the Guardian.
The reports did not include details on the type of missile or any immediate response from North Korea itself beyond the earlier rejection of Seoul’s accusation.
Why it matters
Missile launches by North Korea raise tensions on the Korean Peninsula and draw close monitoring from South Korea, Japan and the United States. This test followed a specific dispute over wounded soldiers in the DMZ, highlighting how quickly incidents can escalate between the two Koreas.
Frequently asked questions
Where was the North Korean missile fired from?
According to South Korea's military, the missile was launched from the Wonsan area, a port city in North Korea.
How far did the missile travel?
The missile flew more than 700km (434 miles) toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, the South Korean military said.
Why did North Korea fire the missile?
The launch came a day after North Korea rejected Seoul's accusation that its mines wounded South Korean soldiers in the DMZ, though the sources do not state an official stated motive for the test.