North Korea confirms it test fired a missile from the sea
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North Korea has confirmed it test-fired a new type of a ballistic missile, a significant escalation from the short-range tests it has conducted since May.
The missile – which was able to carry a nuclear weapon – was the North’s 11th test this year.
But this one, fired from a platform at sea, was capable of being launched from a submarine.
Being submarine-capable is important as it means North Korea could launch missiles far outside its territory.
A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows the successful launch from a submarine of a Pukguksong-3, a new-type ballistic missile by the Academy of Defence Science of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, in the waters off Wonsan Bay of the East Sea of Korea. EPA-EFE/KCNA
According to South Korean officials, the missile flew about 450km and reached an altitude of 910km before landing in the sea.
It came down in the Sea of Japan, also called the East Sea. Japan said it landed in its exclusive economic zone – a band of 200km around Japanese territory.
The test came hours after North Korea said nuclear talks with the US would resume.
