On Monday North Korea confirmed that it had tested “super-large” rocket launchers of ‘great significance’ amid the coronavirus outbreak. According to the state media, the country successfully tested the missiles off its east coast, the latest in a series of launches that South Korea has termed “inappropriate”.
According to the South Korean military, the missiles were fired from the eastern city of Wonsan and flew for 410km (255 miles) with a maximum altitude of around 50km before falling into the sea. This test marked the eighth and ninth missiles launched in four rounds of tests this month, making it the most missiles ever fired in a single month by North Korea.
With no confirmation of Kim Jong Un’s presence, the test was reported to have been led by the governing party’s vice-chairman, Ri Pyong Chol. The country’s Academy of National Defense Science hailed the tests as “crucial work of very great significance in realising the party's new strategic intention for national defence”.
Undeterred by the virus outbreak, Pyongyang, which claims that it has zero cases, has drawn the ire of the South Korean government, which is fighting a tough battle with the novel coronavirus. In a statement, South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff said, “in a situation where the entire world is experiencing difficulties due to Covid-19, this kind of military act by North Korea is very inappropriate and we call for an immediate halt.”
Image Source: The National Interest
North Korea Fires Two Short-Range Ballistic Missiles Amid COVID-19 Outbreak
South Korea said the act was “inappropriate” and called for an “immediate halt”.
March 31, 2020
