North Korea launched ballistic missile on January first

Early on Sunday, according to the South Korean military, North Korea launched a ballistic missile over the water to the east of the Korean Peninsula.

Not even a day has passed since North Korea launched three ballistic missiles on Saturday before making the decision.

According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the short-range ballistic missile was shot from close to the capital Pyongyang at roughly 2:50 a.m. local time (1750 GMT).

According to the military and reported by Yonhap news agency, the missile soared for almost 400 kilometres (249 miles) before coming to rest in the water.

Although the launch did not immediately endanger US soldiers, territory, or Washington’s allies, the US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement that it did underline the destabilising effects of North Korea’s nuclear programme.

According to Kyodo News, Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada has objected to the launch to North Korea.

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The launch comes after an unprecedented number of missile launches by North Korea in 2022, as Pyongyang continues to work on its arsenal amid predictions that it may perform a sixth nuclear weapon test.

The North also started testing intercontinental ballistic missiles again in 2022, which was the first time since 2017. The Hwasong-17, a large new missile with a range that could conceivably reach anywhere in the United States, was successfully launched.

According to Yonhap, the North Korean Central Party held its fifth day of a plenary session on Friday to consolidate strategy, and according to state media KCNA on Saturday, the session was likely to continue, making it the longest one ever. The session’s outcomes can be announced as soon as Sunday.

(Reuters)