SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Tuesday fired a ballistic missile toward its eastern sea, according to the South Korean military, as the country continued its weapons demonstrations ahead of U.S. presidential elections.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff didn’t immediately say what type of ballistic missile it was or how far it flew.
The launch came days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a flight test of the country’s newest intercontinental ballistic missile designed to reach the U.S. mainland.
North Korean state media claimed last week that the Hwasong-19 it tested on Oct. 31 was “the world’s strongest ICBM,” but experts say the solid-fuel missile was too big to be useful in a war situation. Experts say the North has yet to acquire some critical technologies to build a functioning ICBM, such as ensuring that the warhead survives the harsh conditions of atmospheric re-entry.
The latest launches came after South Korean officials said the North was likely to dial up its military displays around the U.S. presidential elections to command the attention of Washington. South Korea’s military intelligence agency said last week that North Korea has also likely completed preparations for its seventh nuclear test.
