North Korea Fires Possible Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile

Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:

North Korea carries out ninth launch since June, just hours after announcing new talks with United States.

The National Security Council in Seoul expressed "strong concern" over the launch of what it said may have been a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), according to a statement issued by the presidential Blue House.

If confirmed, it would be the first time North Korea has launched an undersea missile in three years.

Japan lodged an immediate protest, saying the missile landed inside Japan's economic exclusive zone - the first time a North Korean missile has landed that close to Japan since November 2017. The EEZ covers waters as far as 370 kilometres (230 miles) from the coast.

Defence Minister Taro Kono called the launch "a serious threat to Japanese national security" adding that it was an "extremely problematic and dangerous act" for the safety of vessels and aircraft. Kono declined to say whether the projectile was a submarine-launched missile.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the launch violated UN resolutions that ban North Korea from conducting any launch using ballistic technology.

"We will continue to cooperate with the US and the international community and do the utmost to maintain and protect the safety of the people as we stay on alert," Abe said.

South Korea's military said the missile was launched towards the sea from around Wonsan, the site of one of North Korea's military bases on the east coast.

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