BBC Online :
North Korea has test-fired a ballistic missile from a submarine but it failed in its initial flight stage, South Korea’s military says.
It says the missile was launched in waters east of the Korean peninsula – the latest in a recent series of tests.
It comes less than three months after a previous attempt to launch a missile from a submarine failed. North Korea, believed to be developing nuclear weapons, is banned by the UN from any use of ballistic missiles.
“The SLBM (submarine-launched ballistic missile) was ejected from the submarine normally, but is estimated the initial flight was unsuccessful,” the South Korean military said in a statement.
“Our military strongly denounces such provocative acts by North Korea,” it added.
The missile had been launched at about 11:30 local time (02:30 GMT) off North Korea’s port of Sinpo.
The US and South Korea on Friday agreed to deploy a missile defence system to counter threats from Pyongyang.
It remains unclear exactly where the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system will be sited and who will have final control.
Earlier this week, the US imposed sanctions on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un – a move Pyongyang described as an “open declaration of war”.
This was the first time sanctions have been used against Mr Kim by the US, as it declared him directly responsible for human rights abuses in his country.
Pyongyang has reportedly warned that it will close down all diplomatic channels with the US unless the blacklisting is revoked.
In January, North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test, claiming it to be its first using a hydrogen bomb. Shortly after that Pyongyang launched a satellite, widely seen as a test of long-range missile technology.
The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was launched at about 11:30 a.m. Seoul time (0230 GMT) in waters east of the Korean peninsula.
The missile was likely fired from the submarine as planned but appears to have failed in the early stage of flight, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The North has conducted a string of military tests that began in January with its fourth nuclear test and included the launch of a long-range rocket the following month.
The U.N. Security Council imposed harsh new sanctions on the country in response to North Korea’s fourth nuclear test and the long-range rocket.
South Korea and the United States said on Friday they would deploy an advanced missile defence system in South Korea to counter the threat from nuclear-armed North Korea, drawing a sharp and swift protest from neighbouring China, Pyongyang’s sole major ally.
North Korea has test-fired a ballistic missile from a submarine but it failed in its initial flight stage, South Korea’s military says.
It says the missile was launched in waters east of the Korean peninsula – the latest in a recent series of tests.
It comes less than three months after a previous attempt to launch a missile from a submarine failed. North Korea, believed to be developing nuclear weapons, is banned by the UN from any use of ballistic missiles.
“The SLBM (submarine-launched ballistic missile) was ejected from the submarine normally, but is estimated the initial flight was unsuccessful,” the South Korean military said in a statement.
“Our military strongly denounces such provocative acts by North Korea,” it added.
The missile had been launched at about 11:30 local time (02:30 GMT) off North Korea’s port of Sinpo.
The US and South Korea on Friday agreed to deploy a missile defence system to counter threats from Pyongyang.
It remains unclear exactly where the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system will be sited and who will have final control.
Earlier this week, the US imposed sanctions on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un – a move Pyongyang described as an “open declaration of war”.
This was the first time sanctions have been used against Mr Kim by the US, as it declared him directly responsible for human rights abuses in his country.
Pyongyang has reportedly warned that it will close down all diplomatic channels with the US unless the blacklisting is revoked.
In January, North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test, claiming it to be its first using a hydrogen bomb. Shortly after that Pyongyang launched a satellite, widely seen as a test of long-range missile technology.
The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was launched at about 11:30 a.m. Seoul time (0230 GMT) in waters east of the Korean peninsula.
The missile was likely fired from the submarine as planned but appears to have failed in the early stage of flight, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The North has conducted a string of military tests that began in January with its fourth nuclear test and included the launch of a long-range rocket the following month.
The U.N. Security Council imposed harsh new sanctions on the country in response to North Korea’s fourth nuclear test and the long-range rocket.
South Korea and the United States said on Friday they would deploy an advanced missile defence system in South Korea to counter the threat from nuclear-armed North Korea, drawing a sharp and swift protest from neighbouring China, Pyongyang’s sole major ally.
