SEOUL/WASHINGTON: North Korea test-fireda missile that failed immediately after launch early onThursday, the USand South...
SEOUL/WASHINGTON: North Korea test-fireda missile that failed immediately after launch early onThursday, the USand South Korean militaries said, hours afterthe two countries agreed to step up efforts to counter theNorth´s nuclear and missile threats.
The missile was believed to be an intermediate-range Musudanand was launched from the western city of Kusong, where theisolated state attempted but failed to launch the same type ofmissile on Saturday, the USStrategic Command and SouthKorea´s Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The launch came shortly after the United States and SouthKorea agreed in Washington to bolster military and diplomaticefforts to counter the North´s nuclear and missile programmes,which it is pursuing in defiance of UNSecurity Councilresolutions.
"We strongly condemn the North´s continued illegal acts ofprovocation," the South´s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in astatement.
Japan condemned the launch and said it would make a formalprotest to the North through its embassy in Beijing.
The failed missile launch was the eighth attempt in sevenmonths by the North to launch a weapon with a design range of3,000 km (1,800 miles) that can be fired from road mobilelaunchers, the two militaries said.
North Korea has been conducting activities related to itsnuclear and missile programmes at an unprecedented pace thisyear in defiance of UNsanctions and diplomatic pressure andis believed to be making progress in its efforts to develop anuclear missile.
In June, North Korea launched a Musudan missile that flewabout 400 km (250 miles), more than half the distance to Japan,a flight that was considered a success by officials and expertsin South Korea and the United States.North Korea said on Thursday that it would continue tolaunch satellites despite its rival South´s objections, SouthKorea´s Yonhap News Agency said, citing the North´s state media.
Pyongyang says it has a sovereign right to pursue a spaceprogramme by launching rockets carrying satellites, mostrecently in February, although Washington and Seoul worry thatsuch launches are missile tests in disguise.
Reclusive North Korea and the rich, democratic South aretechnically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended ina truce, not a peace treaty.
The North regularly threatens todestroy the South and its main ally, the United States.
USSecretary of State John Kerry, speaking before thefailed missile launch, said the United States would do "whateveris necessary" to defend itself, South Korea and other alliesagainst North Korea.
Kerry and USDefense Secretary Ash Carter reaffirmed thatany attack by North Korea would be defeated, and any use ofnuclear weapons "met with an effective and overwhelmingresponse," a joint statement said.
As part of the military effort, Kerry said the United Stateswould deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defenseanti missile system to South Korea "as soon as possible".
China strongly opposes deployment of the USsystem, sayingit would impinge on its own strategic deterrence.
South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, also speaking inWashington before the failed launch, said North Korea wasnearing the "final stage of nuclear weaponisation" and theallies would mobilise "all tools in the toolkit" to defendthemselves.
A USaerospace expert, John Schilling, said this week in areport on the 38 North project that despite the failures, thepace of testing could enable the North to put the Musudanmissile into operational service sometime next year.