Jul 29 (Time) - North Korea launched a ballistic missile Friday night which flew longer than any of its previous missiles and landed in the ocean off Japan, according to officials from Japan, South Korea and the United States.
Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said officials were analyzing whether it was a second test of an intercontinental ballistic missile. On July 4, North Korea test-launched its first ICBM in a major step toward its goal of developing nuclear-armed missiles capable of reaching the United States.
Suga said the missile launched Friday flew for about 45 minutes - about five minutes longer than the ICBM on July 4 - and landed west of Japan's island of Hokkaido. He said Japan has lodged a strong protest with North Korea.
"North Korea's repeated provocative acts absolutely cannot be accepted," he said.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the launch "a serious and real threat" to the security of Japan, and said it would cooperate closely with the U.S., South Korea and other nations to further step up pressure on North Korea.
South Korea and the United States also confirmed the launch.
"We are assessing and will have more information soon," said Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was launched from North Korea's northern Jagang province near the border with China. President Moon Jae-in was presiding over an emergency meeting of the National Security Council, Moon's office said.
Yoji Koda, a retired admiral in Japan's Maritime Self Defense Force, said in an interview with Japanese public broadcaster NHK that information that the missile flew 45 minutes and landed west of Hokkaido suggests it was most likely another ICBM.
Source: ANNnewsCH
