(RepublicanPress.org) – In June, North Korea reportedly fired what the South Korean military believed to be a hypersonic missile off the country’s east coast near Pyongyang. Senior officials from South Korea, Japan, and the US condemned the launch, stating it likely violated several UN Security Council resolutions. Weeks later, it appeared that North Korea fired more missiles.
On July 1, South Korea’s military stated that the North test-fired a pair of ballistic missiles about 10 minutes apart in southeastern North Korea. The military said the first missile flew 370 miles, reaching the water, but the second one only flew 75 miles and fell short of easter waters. The next day, North Korea confirmed it test-fired a new ballistic missile that could carry a “super-large warhead.” However, that claim was disputed by officials and experts in South Korea who claim the North is lying to save face because it botched one of its launches.
The North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the country tested the Hwasongpho-11 Da-4.5 missile, adding that the projectile can carry a 4.5-ton-class warhead. The report indicated that the test was meant to confirm a long and short flight, accounting for the South’s assessment of 370 and 75-mile flight distances.
However, Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Lee Sung Joon said South Korea believes the North could be using “deception” in its assessment. KCNA didn’t detail where the new missile was fired from or exactly where it landed, and a military expert found it noteworthy that no pictures were shared of the test.
The expert, Shin Jongwoo, believes the lack of photographs likely means the North is lying about the success of the launch to cover up its recent failure. Asan Institute for Policy Studies analyst Yang Uk agreed, stating that if North Korea succeeded in hitting a ground target, it would’ve published photographic proof to brag about the accomplishment.
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