Seoul: North Korean missile explodes in the air in failed test

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A North Korean missile launched from its capital region exploded into the air Wednesday in a seemingly failed launch, according to the South Korean military, amid speculation that Pyongyang could soon launch its longest-range missile, the country's most significant provocation in years.

At first, the details of the explosion were unknown. But the launch, the 10th of its kind this year, shows that North Korea is determined to modernize its arsenal and pressure its rivals to make concessions despite stagnant denuclearization talks.

The North Korean missile exploded at an altitude of about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles), said a South Korean military officer who requested anonymity because he was not allowed to speak to the media about the matter publicly. The cause of the explosion was unknown, he added.

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff had earlier indicated in a statement that the launch took place from the Pyongyang region around 9:30 in the morning, before its apparent failure. He added that US and South Korean intelligence authorities were analyzing the details of the launch.

The US Indo-Pacific Command later indicated that North Korea had launched a ballistic missile, but did not indicate whether it was a failed launch. A Command statement noted that the launch did not pose an immediate threat to US territory and its allies, although it called on North Korea to avoid further gestures of destabilization.

The US and South Korean armed forces noted last week that Pyongyang had tested an ICBM system in its two most recent launches, referring to the developing Hwasong-17 missile that North Korea presented during a military parade in October 2020.

In its two most recent launches, on 27 February and 5 March, North Korean missiles traveled a distance of intermediate range, and experts have said that Pyongyang could eventually conduct a test of a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile.

North Korea has announced that it tested cameras and other systems for a spy satellite, and disseminated what it claimed were photographs taken from space during those tests, although it did not confirm what type of rocket or missile it had launched.

According to experts, North Korea is looking to strengthen its ICBM capability while trying to put its first spy satellite into orbit. North Korean President Kim Jong Un has vowed to have improved ICBMs and a spy satellite as part of a series of sophisticated weapons systems he claims he needs to deal with what he defines as American hostility.

The Hwasong-17 is the largest missile in North Korea, which could travel up to 15,000 kilometers (9,320 miles), enough to hit anywhere in the United States. The 25-meter (82-foot) long projectile, which was redeployed during a defense exhibition in Pyongyang last year, has not yet been subjected to test launches.

North Korea has already demonstrated its ability to impact the continental United States through test launches of other ICBMs, the Hwasong-14 and Hwasong-15, in 2017. Some analysts say that the development of a larger projectile means that the country is trying to equip its long-range weapons with multiple warheads to overcome missile defense systems.

In recent months, North Korea has conducted a series of missile tests that experts say are attempts to modernize its arsenal and put pressure on the US government as nuclear disarmament negotiations continue to stall.