Seoul: North Korean missiles explode in the air due to failed tests

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - A North Korean missile launched in the capital failed on Wednesday and exploded in the air with speculation that Pyongyang could soon begin its most important provocation, its most important provocation.

At first, the details of the explosion were unknown, but this year's tenth launch shows that North Korea is determined to modernize its arsenal and put pressure on its competitors to make concessions, despite stable denuclearization negotiations.

North Korean missiles exploded at an altitude of about 20 km (12.4 miles), South Korean military officials said they demanded anonymity because they were unable to speak openly with the media on the matter. He said the cause of the explosion was unknown.

The South Korean Joint Chief of Staff stated in a statement that the launch took place in the Pyongyang area at 9:30 a.m., before an obvious failure occurred. He said that intelligence officers from the United States and South Korea were investigating the details of the launch.

The US Indo-Pacific Command later stated that North Korea launched a ballistic missile, but did not disclose whether it failed to launch. The command statement urged North Korea to avoid further destabilizing gestures, although the launch did not pose an immediate threat to the region and its US allies.

Referring to the development of the Hwasong-17 missile announced by North Korea at the Parade Army in October 2020, the US and South Korean troops noted that Pyongyang tested the ICBM system in the two most recent launches.

In the two most recent launches on February 27 and March 5, North Korean missiles traveled medium distances, and experts said Pyongyang could finally conduct intercontinental long-range ballistic missile tests.

North Korea announced that it had tested cameras and other systems against spy satellites and stated that it was a photograph taken from space during the test, but it did not confirm the type of rocket or missile launched.

According to experts, North Korea wants to strengthen the capabilities of its ICBMs by attempting to bring the first spy satellite into orbit.North Korean President Kim Jong-un promised to improve ICBMs and spy satellites as part of a series of sophisticated weapons systems defined by US hostilities.

The Hwasong-17 is the largest missile in North Korea that can travel up to 15,000 kilometers (9,320 miles), and can strike anywhere in the United States.A 25-meter-long (82 ft) bullet was recreated at last year's defense exhibition in Pyongyang.

North Korea has already begun testing other ICBMs, Huasong-14 and Hwasong-15 in 2017, demonstrating its ability to influence the American continent. Some analysts say that developing large shells means that the country is trying to equip its long-range weapons with multiple weapons to overcome missile defense systems.

In recent months, North Korea has conducted a series of missile tests, and experts say it is an attempt to modernize its arsenal and put pressure on the US government during negotiations on nuclear disarmament.