North Korea test-fires three ballistic missiles

The latest launch comes after Pyongyang imposed a nationwide lockdown because of Covid-19.

im Jong-un presides over a meeting of the Workers Party of Korea in Pyongyang. Picture: Korean Central News agency via AFP

North Korea has launched three ballistic missiles off its east coast, after it imposed a nationwide lockdown prompted by its first reported local case of Covid-19.

The missiles were fired at 6.29pm on Thursday from the Sunan area, on the outskirts of Pyongyang. They reached an altitude of roughly 90km and travelled about 360km before falling into the waters between Korea and Japan, officials in Seoul said. The missiles landed outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone, according to Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi.

“Since the beginning of this year, North Korea has repeatedly fired missiles in new ways and with extremely high frequency,” Mr Kishi said, adding that Pyongyang’s progress in missile technology shouldn’t be overlooked.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff called North Korea’s launches serious provocations that undermined peace on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.

North Korea has conducted more than a dozen missile tests this year, including a full-range intercontinental ballistic missile launch in March and a submarine-launched ballistic missile over the weekend. The latest test comes just days after South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol offered Pyongyang economic aid for denuclearisation during his inauguration speech. He said South Korea would keep the door open for dialogue with the North and provide support for its fragile economy if Pyongyang stopped developing nuclear weapons. North Korea has ignored recent overtures for talks from South Korea and the US.

On Thursday, the politburo of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party passed a resolution to implement a maximum emergency anti-epidemic system, as it reported its first ever locally transmitted Covid-19 case. Since the start of the pandemic, North Korea has claimed it had zero Covid-19 cases despite having tested tens of thousands of people.

During the Politburo meeting, leader Kim Jong-un ordered officials to bolster the country’s defence posture to avoid a security vacuum, while pushing ahead with scheduled construction, agricultural development and other state projects.

The 38-year-old dictator faces food shortages and an economy hit hard by border closures and US-led sanctions.

Despite facing tough domestic challenges, developing its weapons program will remain a priority for Kim, North Korea watchers say. During a military parade on April 25, Kim vowed to ramp up development of nuclear arms.

The Wall Street Journal