North Korea fires suspected ballistic missile, says South

Seoul, Feb 27 (EFE).- North Korea Sunday fired a suspected ballistic missile, the South Korean military said, in what could be the eighth weapons test by the reclusive nation this year.

South Korea’s Joint Chief of Staff said it “detected a projectile believed to be a ballistic missile” launched into the East Sea (the Sea of Japan) from in and around the Sunan area in Pyongyang at 7:52 am.

The South Korean military did not elaborate more. Sunan, in the northwest of the capital, houses an international airport.

The Japanese government also said the projectile fire by North Korea could be a ballistic missile.

The launch comes 10 days before the presidential election in South Korea and amid an armed conflict in Ukraine after a Russian invasion.

The South Korean presidential office has convened a standing committee session of its National Security Council presided over by National Security Office chief Suh Hoon.

North Korea conducted a record seven missile tests in January.

The pariah regime has tested several sophisticated missiles (including hypersonic) that are difficult to identify and probably intercept.

In January, the North Korean military tested cruise missiles, short-range missiles, and alleged hypersonic missiles after leader Kim Jong-un began the New Year with a message calling for reform of the country’s defense capabilities.

On Jan.31, Pyongyang announced that the military test-fired a mid-range ballistic missile, Hwasong-12, for the first time since 2017 that the hermit state has launched a weapon of that reach.

Last month Pyongyang also suggested ending its self-imposed moratorium on long-range and nuclear-capable missiles amid stalled peace talks with the United States, sparking fears that the North could be preparing to test more weapons. EFE

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