Seoul, Oct. 3 (Jiji Press)–North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the Sea of Japan from around Wonsan, Kangwon Province, at around 6:30 a.m. Saturday, according to the South Korean military. The Japanese Defense Ministry also announced that Pyongyang had conducted the launch, and said the missile is believed to have fallen into waters outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. The projectile traveled about 680 kilometers, reaching a maximum altitude of about 90 km, according to the ministry. No damage to aircraft or ships has been confirmed. The Japanese government lodged a strong protest with North Korea, saying the missile launch is a serious issue concerning the safety of Japanese citizens. The launch was the first ballistic missile firing by North Korea since it fired a short-range missile on Sept. 20. North Korea may have conducted the latest missile launch in response to South Korea’s conclusion that an explosion near the inter-Korean military demarcation line was caused by North Korean land mines. Following the launch, the South Korean military said that the United States, South Korea and Japan are closely sharing relevant information and maintaining a posture of full readiness. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
