North Korea tests suspected sub-launched ballistic missile

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

North Korea fired a suspected submarine-launched ballistic missile off its east coast on Saturday, Seoul and Tokyo said, as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ramps up military tensions days before a new president takes office in South Korea.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the likely ballistic missile was launched from waters near the port city of Sinpo, where the country’s largest submarine bases are located. The missile was fired at 2:07 p.m. local time Saturday and flew about 370 miles, and reached reaching an altitude of about 37 miles, South Korea said.

Saturday’s launch comes just three days before the inauguration of new South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who has vowed a tougher line on North Korean threats.

President Joe Biden is set to visit Seoul later this month and meet with

Yoon. Earlier this week, North Korean propaganda outlet Uriminzokkiri slammed the incoming South Korean president for being “pro-U.S.” and having a “confrontational” attitude toward the North.

As part of its continued weapons development, North Korea has been working on missiles capable of being launched from submarines that are harder to detect and suited to a surprise attack. North Korea last tested a submarinelaunched ballistic missile (SLBM) in October.

Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi also said that Saturday’s test appeared to be of an SLBM.

Officials in Seoul, Tokyo and Washington said North Korea is also preparing the Punggye-ri nuclear test site for its first nuclear test since 2017. The Punggye-ri location is the country’s only known nuclear test site and has officially been closed since 2018.

“The United States assesses that [North Korea] is preparing its Punggye-ri test site and could be ready to conduct a test there as early as this month, which would be its seventh test,” State Department deputy spokeswoman Jalina Porter said Friday.

Pyongyang has spurned the Biden administration’s repeated offers of dialogue and instead has elevated military tensions in the region. At an unprecedented pace, North Korea has conducted more than a dozen weapons tests this year, including test launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles that are capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.

Saturday’s launch marks a second weapons test from North Korea this week. South Korea’s military said the North on Wednesday fired a missile that traveled about 292 miles at a maximum altitude of 485 miles. The test has not been reported in North Korean state media yet.