North Korea is believed to have carried out the test launch of yet another ballistic missile. The Japanese Coast Guard on Saturday said in a statement citing the defence ministry, “According to the information of the defence ministry, North Korea has carried out the launch of, presumably, a ballistic missile. Vessels are asked to monitor up-to-date information and, if fragments are detected, not to approach them and notify the coast guard.” As per Japanese media reports citing government sources, the missile dropped beyond Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
If the supposed launch is independently verified, this will be North Korea’s 15th missile test this year. Earlier, on May 4, North Korea fired an unidentified projectile into the Sea of Japan. The country had refrained from officially announcing the launch and held back any information regarding the kind of projectile.
According to the South Korean and Japanese militaries, the May 4 projectile was a ballistic missile which flew 470 kms (292 miles), with a maximum altitude of 780 kms and a maximum speed of Mach 11.
