North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile during U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Seoul. According to South Korea’s military, the missile flew over 1,100 kilometers east before landing in the sea.
Blinken stated that the test underscored the importance of deepening U.S., South Korea, and Japan’s collaboration on missile defense, including real-time data sharing and trilateral military exercises. “Today’s launch reminds us how critical our cooperative work is,” he said.
South Korea’s political turmoil, including President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial, and the potential return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, have raised doubts about the sustainability of recent progress in trilateral cooperation.
The type of missile launched remains unclear, but recent North Korean tests have featured solid-fuel designs and hypersonic glide vehicles, which are harder to detect and more survivable than liquid-fuel missiles.
https://japantoday.com/category/world/north-korea-fires-ballistic-missile-as-blinken-visits-seoul
