It is reported that on 9 November, North Korea launched one more ballistic missile. South Korean authorities, meanwhile, have identified last week’s missile as Soviet-era SA-5, Reuters writes.
Japan’s Coast Guard report the ballistic missile appeared fell into the sea just a few minutes after the launch. The missile reached an altitude of 50 km, and covered a distance of 250 km. Japan’s Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada told that Japan has lodged a protest and is strongly condemning the launch.
This came after South Korea had just finished the analysis of the debris from the previous week’s launch.
What seemed to be part of a North Korean short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) is confirmed to be a Soviet-era SA-5 anti-aircraft missile. It was used for striking down strategic bombers and other high-altitude targets. However, experts say that it most likely wouldn’t be effective against modern jet fighters like F-15 and F-16.
In their statement, the Ministry of Defence of South Korea said: «This SA-5 missile launch was a clearly deliberate, intentional provocation. The SA-5 also has characteristics of a surface-to-surface missile, and Russia has used similar missiles in Ukraine for surface-to-surface attacks.»
North Korean officials justify the launch as their response to the joint air drills held by U.S. and South Korea. They described the joint drills as dangerous and aggressive war drills.
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