SEOUL // Nuclear-armed North Korea conducted two back-to-back tests of a powerful new medium-range missile on Wednesday, with both achieving a significant increase in flight distance after five previous failed launches in recent months.
Both tests were believed to be of a Musudan — an intermediate-range missile capable of reaching US bases as far away as Guam, South Korean and Japanese defence officials said.
Though still analysing the result, Japan’s “radar information shows the missile reached an altitude of 1,000 kilometres”, the defence ministry said. Analysts said that accomplishment is sufficient to label it a success, as the launch marked progress in North Korea’s weapons programme.
The United States and Nato issued swift condemnation, with Japan labelling the launches a clear violation of UN resolutions, and South Korea vowing to push for tighter sanctions on Pyongyang.
Existing UN Security Council measures ban North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology.
The first test on Wednesday was deemed to have failed after reportedly flying around 150 kilometres over the Sea of Japan.
The second missile, however, attained a height of 1,000km and a range of 400km, according to Japanese military monitors. Some experts suggested the trajectory was calculated to avoid any violation of Japanese air space, but still managed to get over half way to Japan’s main island of Honshu.
The other four failed Musudan tests since April this year all either exploded on the mobile launch pad or shortly after take-off.
A successful test would mark a major step forward for a weapons programme that ultimately aspires to develop a proven nuclear strike capability against the US mainland.
Melissa Hanham, an expert on North Korea’s WMD programme at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California, said latest launches represented a worrying step forward.
“The second was likely a success. Testing is iterative and they are learning from each flight,” Ms Hanham said.
“Policymakers need to focus on a testing ban to prevent this from becoming a working missile,” she added.
US state department spokesman John Kirby said the latest launches would only increase global efforts to counter North Korea’s illicit weapons programme.
“We intend to raise our concerns at the UN to bolster international resolve in holding [North Korea] accountable for these provocative actions,” Mr Kirby said.
Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe said such tests “cannot be tolerated”, while Nato strongly condemned the launch.
South Korea’s foreign ministry warned that North Korea would face even stronger sanctions and said the tests underlined “the hypocrisy and deceptiveness” of Pyongyang’s recent offers of military talks with Seoul.
China, traditionally the North’s closest ally, cautioned against “any action that may escalate tension” and called for a resumed dialogue on the North’s nuclear programme.
* Agence France-Press and Reuters