N.Koreas Suspected Submarine Missile Pushes The Envelope

(Reuters) Jack Kim October 2 2019 09:35 SEOUL - North Korea fired what may be a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) on Wednesday which would be the first test in three years of what had been a relatively young but rapidly progressing program to deliver nuclear weapons. The launch comes hours after the North announced it would resume nuclear talks with the United States this weekend potentially ending a months-long deadlock that followed a vow by leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump to make progress. The exact type of the missile and the launch platform remain unclear but it appears to be a step that pushes the envelope said Joshua Pollack a leading expert on nuclear and missile proliferation and editor of Nonproliferation Review. WHAT HAPPENED? A missile was launched from the sea soon after 7 a.m. on Wednesday (2200 GMT Tuesday) about 17 km northeast of the coastal city of Wonsan the site of one of North Koreas military bases used for previous missile launches. Japan initially said two missiles were launched but later clarified it was likely one projectile that went through stage separation. The projectile hit the waters in Japans Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) the Japanese government said. South Koreas Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo said an Aegis destroyer detected one missile launch which flew 450 km (280 miles) in a lofted trajectory 910 km (565 miles) high. It is unclear if the missile was launched from a submarine or a platform at sea.