North Korea Launches Missiles after South Korean Decision on Anti-Missile System

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has called on North Korea to stop testing missiles after the North’s latest missile launch.

Moon urged North Korea to immediately halt what he called “its nuclear and missile provocations 1.”

Early Thursday, North Korea launched missiles from an area near Wonsan, a city on its eastern coast. They traveled about 200 kilometers to the east and landed in the sea.

The office of South Korea’s Joint 2 Chiefs of Staff said they appeared to be short-range cruise missiles.

A spokesman for the office said the launch seemed to be a test designed to answer recent United States naval 3 exercises in the region.

A spokesman for the office said the launch seemed to be a test designed to answer recent United States naval exercises in the region.

However, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff noted 4 that the test did not violate United Nations Security Council restrictions 5 because the missiles did not travel high enough. Those restrictions ban high-altitude missile and nuclear weapons development.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said there was no reason for Council members to consider the latest test.

“The government has dealt with actions of North Korea based on responses of the international community. However, we don’t think this (missile launch) is something we need to protest against,” he said.

The secretary said the missiles did not reach Japan’s exclusive economic zone, which extends about 370 kilometers from the Japanese coast.

Additional THAAD deployment 6 delayed

The launches took place one day after the administration of President Moon Jae-in suspended additional deployment of an American anti-missile system.

A presidential aide said an environmental study was required by law before additional deployment could take place. The study could take two years.

Two rocket launchers have already been deployed 7 to South Korea as part of the THAAD anti-missile system. The study delays the deployment of an additional four launchers.

The postponement 8 comes after reports that the defense 9 ministry 10 failed to inform Moon of the additional deployments. He suspended a deputy defense minister for his part in bypassing the president’s office.

On Thursday, the Defense Ministry did not comment on the THAAD issue because of an investigation 11 into the deployment’s approval.

During the South Korean election campaign, Moon called for a detailed 12 study of the THAAD anti-missile system agreement with the United States. The deployment of the system went forward as then-President Park Geun-hye faced removal from office over accusations 13 of corruption 14.

Bruce Bennett is a defense expert with the RAND Corporation research group. He told VOA that the latest missile launch might show new capabilities 15 for North Korea’s missile program. However, he said they presented little threat to U.S. forces in East Asia.

Currently, the U.S. military has deployed two aircraft carrier strike groups to the area. The strike groups include the carriers USS Carl Vinson and the USS Ronald Reagan.

Words in This Story

provocations – n. something done to cause an intense or angry reaction

region – n. a part of a country or the world separated in some way from others

exclusive – adj. not shared; available to only a few people

altitude – n. height; the highest point of something

bypass – v. to go around or avoid something

altitude – n. height above the earth’s surface

capability 16 – n. the ability to do something