SEOUL, January 30. Chairman of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff Won In-choul and U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Paul LaCamera discussed on Sunday a new missile launch by North Korea, the Joint Chiefs of Staff reports.
In their telephone call, the sides discussed the latest missile launch by North Korea, confirming readiness for joint defense, the statement said. It also stressed that the sides were closely following the developments and were ready to quickly react to any changes in the situation.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile had been fired from North Korea’s province of Jagang at 07:52 local time (01:52 Moscow time). It flew about 800 kilometers at a top altitude of 2,000 kilometers, it said. This was Pyongyang’s biggest launch since the end of 2017, after its self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile launches.
In 2017, North Korea made 20 launches of intermediate-range and intercontinental ballistic missiles. This triggered a strong reaction from the international community, including the US. Severe sanctions were imposed against Pyongyang, restricting the country’s foreign trade. Things changed for the better in 2018, when North Korea made moves to de-escalate the conflict, stating its intentions to stop building nuclear forces in the country and to develop dialogue and cooperation.
It was the seventh missile launch by North Korea this year.