Earlier today we reported on an intercontinental ballistic missile that N. Korea claims it had successfully launched.
Now we have more details:
BLOOMBERG – North Korea’s test-fired a ballistic missile toward Japan and said it would make an “important announcement” Tuesday afternoon, prompting South Korea to examine if the regime had managed its first successful intercontinental ballistic missile launch.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the projectile was fired around 9:40 a.m. and flew about 930 kilometers (578 miles). Japan’s Defense Ministry said it reached an altitude that “greatly exceeded” 2,500 kilometers. It was airborne for around 40 minutes.
The U.S. Pacific Command said in a statement it tracked a land-based intermediate range missile that landed in the Sea of Japan. But the lofted trajectory has led South Korea and the U.S. to now look at whether it was an ICBM, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a National Security Council meeting.
I don’t know anything about missiles but 40 minutes seems like an awfully long time for a missile to be in the air.
Russia and China weren’t happy with the test:
BBC – Russia and China have urged North Korea to “freeze” its missile and nuclear programmes after it claimed to have successfully tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile.
Both countries also called for a simultaneous suspension of US-South Korea large-scale military exercises.
North Korea said its missile could hit anywhere in the world.
But while Pyongyang appears to have made progress, experts believe the device cannot accurately hit a target.
Despite the North Korean claim, both the US and Russia said the missile presented no threat to either country.
Calling the launch “unacceptable”, Russia and China, which share a land border with North Korea, also urged the US to not deploy the Thaad missile system – which aims to intercept attacks from Pyongyang – in South Korea.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was in Moscow, where he held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
It is now being reported that the US is weighing a ‘measured response’ if we determine it was an ICBM:
CNN – Trump administration national security, military and diplomatic officials are holding an unexpected July 4 meeting to discuss what options might be needed if it is determined by the US that North Korea conducted an intercontinental ballistic missile test, several administration officials tell CNN.
US military technical experts are now reviewing all data and intelligence gathered by US satellites, aircraft and other systems to determine if North Korea’s claim that it fired an intercontinental missile is true. “The claim is being taken seriously,” one senior Administration official said.
Top officials at the State Department and the Defense Department are participating in the meeting. If it is determined that an ICBM was launched, the goal is for President Donald Trump to potentially approve a “measured response,” one official told CNN. Nothing has been decided, but that response could include sending additional US military assets such as troops, aircraft and ships to increase the US presence in the region. Diplomatic options are also being considered including more sanctions.
If it is determined that an ICBM has been fired, the Pentagon will publicly communicate that all missile defense measures aboard Navy ships in the western Pacific and land-based missiles in Alaska are fully ready, as are missile defense systems in South Korea and Japan. The aim is to send a message to Asian allies and the world that the US stands ready to defend against North Korean aggression.
So that’s the latest on what we have. I should also note that the above photograph we used was released by North Korea’s official news agency and is supposed to be the actual photo of the purported ICBM launching.