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North Korea Tested New Ballistic Missile, South Says, Flouting U.N. Ban North Korea Tested New Ballistic Missile, South Says, Flouting U.N. Ban
(about 7 hours later)
SEOUL, South Korea — The two projectiles North Korea launched off its east coast on Thursday were a new type of short-range ballistic missile, the South Korean government said, acknowledging that the North was expanding its ability to deliver nuclear warheads as President Trump’s efforts to bring the country to the negotiating table remain stalled.SEOUL, South Korea — The two projectiles North Korea launched off its east coast on Thursday were a new type of short-range ballistic missile, the South Korean government said, acknowledging that the North was expanding its ability to deliver nuclear warheads as President Trump’s efforts to bring the country to the negotiating table remain stalled.
The assessment — the South’s first formal declaration that North Korea is testing a new missile — accused the North of violating United Nations resolutions that ban it from developing and testing ballistic missile technologies.The assessment — the South’s first formal declaration that North Korea is testing a new missile — accused the North of violating United Nations resolutions that ban it from developing and testing ballistic missile technologies.
If validated, it also appears to undercut what President Trump has repeatedly touted as his biggest diplomatic achievement in dealing with North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un.If validated, it also appears to undercut what President Trump has repeatedly touted as his biggest diplomatic achievement in dealing with North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un.
Mr. Trump has vigorously defended his relationship with the North Korean dictator — “We fell in love,” he has said — by repeatedly claiming that the North has not conducted any serious missile tests since he began engaging Mr. Kim in diplomacy in early 2018.Mr. Trump has vigorously defended his relationship with the North Korean dictator — “We fell in love,” he has said — by repeatedly claiming that the North has not conducted any serious missile tests since he began engaging Mr. Kim in diplomacy in early 2018.
The South Korean government appeared to suggest otherwise on Thursday. “This act by North Korea does not help efforts to ease military tensions on the Korean Peninsula at all,” the office of President Moon Jae-in of South Korea said after a meeting of the National Security Council on Thursday.The South Korean government appeared to suggest otherwise on Thursday. “This act by North Korea does not help efforts to ease military tensions on the Korean Peninsula at all,” the office of President Moon Jae-in of South Korea said after a meeting of the National Security Council on Thursday.
The council, in a statement, expressed its “strong concerns.” A technical analysis is still underway with United States officials.The council, in a statement, expressed its “strong concerns.” A technical analysis is still underway with United States officials.
Analysts in South Korea said the North appears to have been testing a new solid-fuel, short-range ballistic missile during weapons tests on May 4, on May 9 and on Thursday. The missile flew 150 miles on May 4 and 260 miles on May 9. Hours later, North Korea said Mr. Kim had supervised the test firing of “a new-type tactical guided weapon” to send a warning to South Korea and Mr. Moon, whom Mr. Kim accused of “double-dealing.”
Mr. Kim complained that the South was introducing “ultramodern offensive weapons” and pushing for a joint military drill with the United States, despite the agreements to lower military tensions that he and Mr. Moon reached when they met in April and September last year, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said. In recent months, South Korea has begun receiving some of the 40 F-35A stealth jets it had ordered from the United States arms-maker Lockheed Martin.
“The South Korean chief executive should not make a mistake of ignoring the warning from Pyongyang, however offending it may be,” the North Korean news agency said on Friday, referring to Mr. Moon.
Analysts in South Korea said the North appears to have tested a new solid-fuel, short-range ballistic missile during weapons tests on May 4, on May 9 and on Thursday. The missile flew 150 miles on May 4 and 260 miles on May 9. During those tests, North Korea also called its missile a “new-type tactical guided weapon.”
After the North’s tests in May, South Korean and United States officials shied away from publicly identifying the projectiles as a new ballistic missile, an apparent attempt not to give the North the attention it seeks through short-range missile tests.After the North’s tests in May, South Korean and United States officials shied away from publicly identifying the projectiles as a new ballistic missile, an apparent attempt not to give the North the attention it seeks through short-range missile tests.
One of the two missiles launched on Thursday traveled 428 miles, indicating that the North was making quick progress on the new missile.One of the two missiles launched on Thursday traveled 428 miles, indicating that the North was making quick progress on the new missile.
Yet it was not the range of the missile but its looks that alarmed analysts in the region.Yet it was not the range of the missile but its looks that alarmed analysts in the region.
After studying the photos North Korea released from the tests in May, South Korean and United States analysts said the missile looked like a copy of Russia’s Iskander short-range ballistic missile. An Iskander-like missile would be a potent new addition to the North’s growing fleet of ballistic missiles.After studying the photos North Korea released from the tests in May, South Korean and United States analysts said the missile looked like a copy of Russia’s Iskander short-range ballistic missile. An Iskander-like missile would be a potent new addition to the North’s growing fleet of ballistic missiles.
Solid-fuel and road-mobile missiles like the Iskander are easier to transport and hide, and they take less time to prepare for launching. The Iskander is capable of carrying nuclear warheads — the North is believed to have 30 to 60 — and can also be maneuvered during its ballistic trajectory.Solid-fuel and road-mobile missiles like the Iskander are easier to transport and hide, and they take less time to prepare for launching. The Iskander is capable of carrying nuclear warheads — the North is believed to have 30 to 60 — and can also be maneuvered during its ballistic trajectory.
These characteristics make such a missile harder to track and intercept, presenting a potentially deadly threat not only to South Korean and American troops based here, but also to the United States warships that would bring reinforcements should war break out on the Korean Peninsula, missile experts say.These characteristics make such a missile harder to track and intercept, presenting a potentially deadly threat not only to South Korean and American troops based here, but also to the United States warships that would bring reinforcements should war break out on the Korean Peninsula, missile experts say.
“This means that North Korea can increase survivability of its missiles by continuously moving them, hiding them in tunnels, warehouses, and even highway underpasses,” the North Korea analyst Duyeon Kim and the missile expert Melissa Hanham wrote in a recent report.“This means that North Korea can increase survivability of its missiles by continuously moving them, hiding them in tunnels, warehouses, and even highway underpasses,” the North Korea analyst Duyeon Kim and the missile expert Melissa Hanham wrote in a recent report.
“One, it is difficult to predict where the missile will land and intercept it before it does,” they added. “Two, it is difficult to detect exactly where the missile came from, meaning that North Korean units might be able to launch more missiles before their location is detected and neutralized by South Korea or the United States.”“One, it is difficult to predict where the missile will land and intercept it before it does,” they added. “Two, it is difficult to detect exactly where the missile came from, meaning that North Korean units might be able to launch more missiles before their location is detected and neutralized by South Korea or the United States.”
North Korea has yet to renege on the moratorium on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests that Mr. Kim declared in April 2018. Mr. Kim himself indicated that his country’s new missile was similar to the Iskander, according to the North Korean news agency, saying that its “low-altitude gliding and leaping flight” would make it “hard to intercept.”
During his inspection of the new missile on Thursday, Mr. Kim was accompanied by defense industry officials in charge of developing the North’s missiles and nuclear warheads.
But while criticizing Mr. Moon, Mr. Kim refrained from attacking Mr. Trump, an apparent move to keep his highly unusual diplomatic romance with the American leader alive while also driving a wedge between Seoul and Washington.
North Korea has yet to renege on the moratorium on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests that Mr. Kim declared in April 2018. Abandoning the moratorium would be a definitive challenge to Mr. Trump.
In the past, the United States has tended to give far less attention to short-range tests by the North than to its long-range launches, rarely reacting to them with new sanctions.In the past, the United States has tended to give far less attention to short-range tests by the North than to its long-range launches, rarely reacting to them with new sanctions.
Mr. Trump has sounded as if he was dismissing the May tests, calling them not “anything major,” although short-range missiles threaten American soldiers and citizens living in South Korea, as well as the local population.Mr. Trump has sounded as if he was dismissing the May tests, calling them not “anything major,” although short-range missiles threaten American soldiers and citizens living in South Korea, as well as the local population.
North Korea responded by launching the missile again on Thursday on an extended range. And Thursday’s tests apparently left no doubt among South Korean officials that the North’s efforts were more serious than previously assessed, prompting them to formally call the weapon a new ballistic missile.North Korea responded by launching the missile again on Thursday on an extended range. And Thursday’s tests apparently left no doubt among South Korean officials that the North’s efforts were more serious than previously assessed, prompting them to formally call the weapon a new ballistic missile.
North Korea appears to have timed its latest tests to apply political pressure on the United States and South Korea in future negotiations, said Leif-Eric Easley, associate professor of international studies at Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul.North Korea appears to have timed its latest tests to apply political pressure on the United States and South Korea in future negotiations, said Leif-Eric Easley, associate professor of international studies at Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul.
But North Korea also “tests weapons to maintain and improve its military capabilities while addressing domestic political legitimacy concerns through shows of strength,” Mr. Easley said. “North Korea continues its development of nuclear weapons and delivery systems, including missiles and submarines.”But North Korea also “tests weapons to maintain and improve its military capabilities while addressing domestic political legitimacy concerns through shows of strength,” Mr. Easley said. “North Korea continues its development of nuclear weapons and delivery systems, including missiles and submarines.”