North Korea fires ballistic missiles over Japan

North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan. It is the most significant missile test by North Korea since January 2022. It is also the first time, North Korea has flown a missile over Japan since 2017.

In January 2022, North Korea fired the Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missile which was capable of reaching the US territory of Guam. The missile is believed to have landed in the Pacific Ocean. An alert has been issued for the people living in the northeastern region of Japan to evacuate buildings nearby.  Trains were suspended in Japan’s Aomori and Hokkaido regions temporarily. The operations were later resumed after the government notice, that the missile has been appeared to land in the Pacific. 

North Korea conducts longest-range missile test yet over Japan https://t.co/MmBVbCUKkE pic.twitter.com/sNWBudUs6B

— Reuters (@Reuters)
October 4, 2022

What is the reaction of Japan’s Prime Minister to the fire of the ballistic missile?

1. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that the firing and launch of missiles by North Korea is a reckless act. 
2. He said that he’ll have a National Security Council discuss the situation.
3. The Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan Hirokazu Matsuno said that there have been no immediate reports of damage after the North’s missile launch.
4. Matsuno also said that the missile landed in waters outside the country’s exclusive economic zone after a 22-minute flight.

What did South Korea say about the missile launch?

1. South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol said North Korea launched an intermediate-range missile whose range is 4,000 kilometers. It is a range that places Guam within striking distance.
2. Yoon also said that he called a National Security Council meeting to discuss the launch and the North’s “reckless nuclear provocations”.

Background

The launch is the fifth round of weapons tests by North Korea in the past few days. It was seen as an apparent response to bilateral military drills between South Korea and the United States and the allies’ other training involving Japan last week.  The missiles fired during the past rounds of launches were short-range and fell in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

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