Global Courant 2023-04-13 05:47:11
Seoul, South Korea — North Korea launched a ballistic missile toward the sea between the Korean peninsula and Japan on Thursday, prompting Japan to order residents of an island to take shelter as a precaution.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staffs said the North Korean missile was flying toward the waters between the Korean peninsula and Japan, but did not provide further details, including how far it flew and exactly what type of weapon the North launched. Japan said the missile landed in waters, did not immediately work out.
Earlier, the launch had prompted the Japanese government to urge people to seek shelter on the northernmost island of Hokkaido. Japanese media later reported that the Japanese government had withdrawn the warning and distress message to local governments, saying there was no possibility of a missile landing in the Hokkaido area.
North Korea has long argued that US-led military exercises in the region are evidence of Washington’s hostility to Pyongyang. The North has said it was forced to develop nuclear weapons to meet US military threats, though US and South Korean officials have steadfastly said they have no intention of invading the North.
There are concerns that North Korea could conduct its first nuclear test in more than five years since unveiling a new type of warhead earlier this month. Foreign experts debate whether North Korea has developed warheads small and light enough to fit on missiles.
Thursday’s launch also came as South Korea accused North Korea of failing to respond to South Korean calls on a series of cross-border inter-Korean hotlines for about a week. The North’s alleged suspension of messaging on its communications channels could be concerning, as one of the hotlines’ jobs is to prevent accidental clashes along the rivals’ disputed western maritime border.