BREAKING: North Korea launches ballistic missile from a submarine into SPACE

by The Right Scoop

North Korea is said to have launched two ballistic missiles from a submarine tonight, one of which went almost 600 miles upward:

REUTERS – North Korea fired at least one missile off its east coast on Wednesday that South Korea said may have been launched from a submarine, a day after it announced the resumption of talks with the United States aimed at ending its nuclear program.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned the launch of what he said were two ballistic missiles, one of which fell in the waters of Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), saying it was a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The launch was likely a reminder by the North, which rejects the U.N. resolutions banning the use of ballistic missile technology as an infringement on its right to self-defense, of its weapons capability ahead of the talks with Washington, analysts said.

The reports on the altitude of the ballistic missile came from South Korea’s military:

South Korea’s military said it had detected the launch of one missile that flew 450 km (280 miles) and reached an altitude of 910 km (565 miles). It was likely a Pukguksong-class weapon, as the North’s earlier submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) were known, that is under development.

Amichai Stein quotes from South Korean media which says that distance put the missile two times higher than the International Space Station:

Back to Reuters:

The National Security Council in Seoul expressed “strong concern” over the launch of what it said may have been an SLBM, according to a statement issued by the presidential Blue House, that came just a day after the announcement of working-level nuclear talks.

South Korea’s military said the missile was launched from around Wonsan, the site of one of North Korea’s military bases on the east coast, towards the sea. There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancy with Japan’s assessment that two missiles had been fired.

North Korea had been developing SLBM technology before it suspended long-range missile and nuclear tests and began talks with the United States that led to the first summit between Kim and Trump in Singapore in June 2018.

US officials told Reuters they were aware of the reports and said they were monitoring the situation.

And lastly, Bolton had a message for Trump today on North Korea with these resumption of ‘talks’:

In a detailed repudiation of Trump’s North Korea policy, Bolton warned of a “grave and growing threat” from North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, condemned the administration for not condemning North Korea’s recent spate of ballistic missile tests, and argued that, in his “unvarnished” view, Kim Jong Un and his regime will never give up their nuclear weapons voluntarily.

Instead of Trump’s belief that he can personally negotiate with Kim to surrender his nuclear weapons, Bolton said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington that the U.S. should be considering regime change in Pyongyang, working with China to reunify North and South Korea, or using military force.

“These are questions that need to focus our attention, not, ‘Can we get another summit with Kim Jong Un or what the state of staff-level negotiations are to achieve a commitment from North Korea it will never honor,” Bolton said.

In fact, he argued, Kim was operating on the strategic decision to “do whatever he can to keep a deliverable nuclear weapons capability and to develop and enhance it further. He may try to get relief from international sanctions, he may make some concessions, but under current circumstances, he will never give up his nuclear weapons voluntarily.”

Bolton said before he entered the administration that Kim would just be using these ‘talks’ to buy time to continue his nuclear and ballistic missile development. It appears he hasn’t changed his mind on that and that he was right.


Comment Policy: Please read our comment policy before making a comment. In short, please be respectful of others and do not engage in personal attacks. Otherwise we will revoke your comment privileges.