Sixth Missile Test in Under a Month

North Korea has again test-launched what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) into the Sea of Japan, marking Pyongyang’s sixth such missile test in less than a month, according to South Korean authorities.

The short-range projectiles, which were launched on 27 January at 08:00 and 08:05 local time from an area near Hamhung, flew about 190km and reached an altitude of 20km before falling into the sea, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The Yonhap News Agency quoted an unnamed South Korean defence official as saying that Pyongyang is presumed to have used Al Island, an uninhabited island off the North Korea’s eastern coast, for target practice during the latest launch.

In a separate statement, the MoD in Tokyo, refraining from confirming how many ballistic missiles were launched, but noted that no damage to nearby ships or aircraft had been reported and that the projectiles fell into waters outside Japan’s EEZ. At the same time, the MoD stated that the “remarkable development of nuclear and missile-related technologies by North Korea in recent years cannot be overlooked,” warning that Pyongyang’s repeated ballistic missile launches are “a serious issue” for the security of Japan and the region.

Both South Korean and Japanese authorities said they are still analysing the latest launch data, together with the US military.

Images of the test have yet to emerge, meaning it cannot be ruled out that Pyongyang tested a new SRBM type. However, the data provided by Japanese and South Korean authorities suggests North Korea might have also launched one of its previously-tested SRBMs, including those deployed from the country’s “super-large multiple rocket launcher”.

Meanwhile, Tokyo noted that North Korea has recently been testing new missiles “at an extremely high frequency”. In fact, January has witnessed what may amount to the highest volume of missiles launched by North Korea in a single month: Pyongyang kicked off the latest series of tests by launching what it claimed to be “hypersonic missiles” on 5 and 11 January; it then tested two KN-23-series SRBMS on 14 January; two KN-24 SRBMs three days later; and what appeared to be two ground-launched cruise missiles on 25 January.

The latest developments, which come amid ongoing tensions between North Korea and the US, indicate that, despite UN-imposed sanctions, Pyongyang is not only developing a wide array of offensive weapons – particularly those capable of evading an adversary’s missile defences – but also appears keen on repeatedly testing them, to demonstrate its capabilities and military readiness.

Gabriel Dominguez for MON