North Korea fires ballistic missile, South Korea says
Apr 13, 2023, 7:00 AM
FILE PHOTO: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends the 7th enlarged plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in Pyongyang, North Korea, March 1, 2023 in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THIS IMAGE. NO THIRD PARTY SALES. SOUTH KOREA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SOUTH KOREA/File Photo
(KCNA)
(CNN) — South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea fired one mid-range or longer ballistic missile from near Pyongyang into the waters off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula at around 7:23 a.m. local time Thursday.
Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said the missile may have been a type of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the longest range of North Korea’s ballistic missiles, but that Japanese authorities were continuing to analyze details.
Hamada added that the missile has landed outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Japan’s government initially urged residents in the country’s northern prefecture of Hokkaido to take shelter after the North Korean launch.
The Japanese Coast Guard later said it believed there was no longer a possibility of the missile falling on Hokkaido or its surroundings.
“The ballistic missile is believed to have already fallen,” said the Coast Guard, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK, citing information from the Ministry of Defense.
Japan has previously warned civilians to shelter in place during similar test launches.
