Pyongyang, 1 February 2022 (TDI): North Korea or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) as is officially known, confirmed on Monday about test-firing a ballistic missile.
The fired missile was a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile. This is the first time since 2017 that North Korea has tested an intermediate-range ballistic missile again.
According to the North Korean state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the test was conducted on Sunday to assess the accuracy and effectiveness of the use of the Hwasong-12 missile.
Experts believe that the Hwasong-12 has a range of 4,500 kilometres and could theoretically reach Guam. Guam is a United States (US) Pacific island and the US maintains a military base on the island.
Photographs released by KCNA from Sunday’s launch were reportedly taken from a camera attached to the missile. Two images have been shared that display the launch of the intermediate-range ballistic missile. Whilst other images purportedly show the missile in mid-flight.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea stated that the missile soared about 800 kilometres towards the open sea. Furthermore, it reached an altitude of approximately 2,000 kilometres during the test.
Recently, North Korea has conducted a series of missile launches ever since the beginning of the new year. The country also conducted similar tests late last year. Only a month of 2022 has gone by and this was the North Korean government’s seventh such test launch, this year so far.
South Korean President, Moon Jae-in expressed his reservations regarding the spate of missile tests conducted by North Korea. South Korea has been an advocate of denuclearization as well as the establishment of peace on the Korean peninsula.
According to Moon Jae-in repeatedly testfiring missiles by North Korea is a clear violation of the United Nations (UN) resolutions, which prohibit the country from conducting ballistic missiles tests.
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