Seoul, South Korea (AP) — A North Korean missile launched in the capital failed on Wednesday and appeared to have exploded into the air amid speculation that Pyongyang could soon begin its most important provocation, its most important provocation.
At first, details of the explosion were unknown, but this year's tenth launch shows that North Korea is determined to modernize its arsenal and pressure its competitors to make concessions despite stagnant denuclearization negotiations.
North Korean missiles exploded at an altitude of about 20 km (12.4 miles), South Korean military officials said they asked for anonymity because they could not speak publicly to the media about the issue. The cause of the explosion was unknown, he added.
The Joint Chief of Staff of the Republic of Korea stated in a statement that the launch took place in the Pyongyang region around 9:30 in the morning before the apparent failure occurred. He added that the US and South Korean intelligence authorities were reviewing the details of the launch.
The US Indo-Pacific Command later stated that North Korea launched a ballistic missile, but did not disclose whether it failed to launch. The command's statement urged North Korea to avoid a more precarious gesture, although this launch did not pose an immediate threat to US territory and allies.
Referring to the development of the Hwasong-17 missile announced by North Korea at a military parade in October 2020, the United States and South Korean troops noted that Pyongyang tested the ICBM system in the two most recent launches.
In the two most recent launches on February 27 and March 5, North Korean missiles traveled medium distances, and experts said that Pyongyang could eventually conduct tests on long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles.
North Korea announced that it tested cameras and other systems against spy satellites and propagated what it claimed to be a photograph taken from space during the test, but did not confirm the type of rocket or missile it launched.
According to experts, North Korea seeks to strengthen its ICBM capacity as it tries to bring its first spy satellite into orbit.North Korean President Kim Jong-un has pledged to improve ICBMs and spy satellites as part of a series of sophisticated weapons systems that claim to solve what is defined by US hostility.
The Huasong-17 is the largest missile in North Korea, capable of traveling up to 15,000 km (9,320 miles), allowing it to strike anywhere in the United States. The 25-meter (82 ft) long projectile that was redeployed at a defense exhibition held in Pyongyang last year has not yet undergone a test launch.
North Korea has already demonstrated its ability to influence the American continent through test launches of other ICBMs, Huasong-14 and Hwasong-15 in 2017. Some analysts say that the development of a larger projectile means that the country is trying to equip its long-range weapons with multiple warheads to overcome missile defense systems.
In recent months, North Korea has conducted a series of missile tests, and experts say it is an attempt to modernize its arsenal and put pressure on the US government as negotiations on nuclear disarmament continue to stop.