Society

Defense ministry analyzing missile flight

Aug 30 (NHK) - Japan's Defense Ministry is investigating whether North Korea deliberately shortened the flight of the missile that it launched on Tuesday.

The ministry says the missile was fired from the west coast of North Korea shortly before 6:00 AM, Japan Time. It says the missile flew for about 2,700 kilometers and passed over northern Japan before landing in the Pacific Ocean.

The ministry adds it is highly likely that this was a new type of intermediate ballistic missile that was launched and fell into the Sea of Japan in May.

The trajectory used on Tuesday would have given the missile a maximum range of 5,000 kilometers, but it only flew for just over half of that distance.

The ministry also says Pyongyang may have intentionally shortened the flight by limiting the amount of fuel, or by cutting off the supply around the halfway point.

Officials at the ministry have also revised their earlier analysis that the missile split into 3 parts before it fell into the sea. They now think that it may not have broken up.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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