Source, SOUTH KOREA MINISTRY OF DEFENSE
The South Korean military has apologized for the failed missile test during its exercise with the United States. The missile, which crashed shortly after it was launched, did not cause any casualties or injuries, but caused panic among residents of the eastern city of Gangneung.
A day after North Korea’s ballistic missile test over Japan on Tuesday, South Korea and the United States launched a series of missiles into the Sea of Japan.
The people of Gangneung reported that there was an explosion at night and then there was a fire.
Officials from the South Korean military said four short-range missiles were successfully launched at targets in the Sea of Japan.
However, a South Korean-made longer-range missile test failed.
Officials added that this exercise was done to stop “provocations from Pyongyang.”
South Korean and US warplanes also conducted an attack exercise against a shooting range in the western Korean peninsula.
John Kirby, spokesman for the US National Security Council, told CNN that the purpose of the missile launch was “to demonstrate that the United States and its allies have the military capability to respond to North Korea’s provocations.”
The people of Gangneung shared the videos of the exercise in their posts on social media and stated that their electricity was cut off for hours.
In an intercontinental medium-range missile test conducted by North Korea on Tuesday, the missile passed through northern Japan and fell into the Pacific Ocean, about 3,000 kilometers offshore.
North Korea last conducted a missile test over Japan in 2017.
Pyongyang’s missile test Tuesday was the fifth test in a week.
Under normal conditions, missile tests are carried out over flight paths and thus cruise at high altitudes.
However, experts speaking to the Reuters news agency stated that by conducting a missile test over Japan, scientists were able to “test real conditions more accurately”.
In September, North Korea enacted a law defining itself as a “nuclear state” and Kim Jong-un ruled out “denuclearization” talks.