North Korea fired long-range missile, says Seoul

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – North Korea Monday fired a long-range missile, South Korean military said.

Pyongyang’s latest missile launch comes within hours it fired a short-range missile from Pyongyang on Sunday night.

South Korean military said it “detected the missile was fired from the Pyongyang area at 8.24 a.m. (2324GMT, Sunday) at a lofted angle and flew about 1,000 kilometers before landing in the East Sea.”

The missile fell into the East Sea.

US Command in Asia-Pacific said: “We are aware of the ballistic missile launches and… in anticipation of these launches, the ROK (South Korea), Japan, and the US, trilaterally pre-coordinated operations to ensure protection of their respective nations.”

It is Pyongyang’s fifth intercontinental ballistic missile launch this year – highest number of such missiles fired in a single year.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol called for a joint response with the US and Japan to long-range missile launch by Pyongyang.

“Utilizing the real-time information sharing system for North Korean missiles, we have to proactively push for South Korea, the US and Japan's joint response," Yoon told an emergency meeting of national security council.

The three nations have agreed on a trilateral real-time sharing system which is expected to be operational by the end of the year.

North Korea’s Defense Ministry on Sunday accused the US and the “military gangsters” of Seoul, which it said, “have aggravated the situation in the Korean peninsula with their reckless military provocations such as deployment of nuclear strike means and large-scale joint military drills throughout this year.”