Nuclear-armed North Korea conducted two back-to-back tests of a powerful
new medium-range missile on June 22, with both achieving a significant
increase in flight distance over previous failed launches, South Korea’s
Defense Ministry said.
Both tests were believed to be of a
much-hyped, intermediate-range Musudan missile – theoretically capable
of reaching U.S. bases as far away as Guam.
International condemnation was swift, with the United States, NATO
and Japan labelling the launches a clear violation of U.N. resolutions,
and South Korea vowing to push for tighter sanctions on Pyongyang.
Existing U.N. Security Council measures ban North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology.
The
first test shortly before 6:00 am was deemed to have failed after
reportedly flying around 150 kilometers over the East Sea or Sea of
Japan.
According to Japanese military monitors, the second
missile attained a height of 1,000 kilometers and a range of 400
kilometers – a trajectory some experts suggested was calculated to avoid
any violation of Japanese air space.
Four failed Musudan tests earlier this year all either exploded on the mobile launch pad or shortly after take-off.
A
successful test would mark a major step forward for a weapons program
that ultimately aspires to develop a proven nuclear strike capability
against the U.S. mainland.
Melissa Hanham, an expert on North
Korea’s WMD program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies
in California, said the launches represented a worrying step forward.
“The second was likely a success. Testing is iterative and they are learning from each flight,” Hanham told AFP.
“Policymakers need to focus on a testing ban to prevent this from becoming a working missile,” she added.
U.S.
State Department spokesman John Kirby said the latest launches would
only increase global efforts to counter North Korea’s illicit weapons
program.
“We intend to raise our concerns at the U.N. to bolster
international resolve in holding [North Korea] accountable for these
provocative actions,” Kirby said in a statement.
Japanese broadcaster NHK quoted Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as saying such tests “cannot be tolerated,” while NATO “strongly condemned” the launch in a statement from its secretary general.