North Korea fired "unidentified projectile" over Yellow Sea: South Korea
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North Korea has launched an "unidentified projectile" southwards over the Yellow Sea, South Korea's military announced late Monday.
This event occurred shortly after Pyongyang informed Japan of its plans to launch another spy satellite. "North Korea has fired an unidentified projectile southwards," South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, following the conclusion of the first trilateral summit between Seoul, Beijing, and Tokyo since 2019.
Japan also confirmed the launch, with the government's alert system briefly issuing an evacuation order to southern Okinawa prefecture.
The alert read, "Missile launch. Missile launch. It appears a missile(s) was launched from North Korea. Please evacuate inside buildings or underground. Information received at 22:46 (1346 GMT). Target region: Okinawa." This alert was lifted at 23:03 (1403 GMT), with the authorities stating, "the missile(s) appears not to fly to Japan."
Earlier on Monday, during the rare three-way summit of South Korea, Japan, and China, the leaders of Seoul and Tokyo urged North Korea to cancel the satellite launch. North Korea successfully launched its first reconnaissance satellite last November, drawing international condemnation. The United States labeled it a "brazen violation" of UN sanctions.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol remarked that another satellite launch, which would be North Korea's fourth attempt, would "undermine regional and global peace and stability." In response to North Korea's notification to Japan of plans to launch a satellite by June 4, the South Korean military conducted an attack formation flight and strike training to showcase "the strong capabilities and will of our military."
Experts have indicated that spy satellites could enhance Pyongyang's intelligence-gathering capabilities, particularly regarding its rival, South Korea, and provide critical data in any military conflict. Seoul has asserted that North Korea received technical assistance from Russia for its November satellite launch in exchange for supplying Moscow with weapons for use in the war in Ukraine.
A group of Russian engineers has reportedly entered North Korea to aid with the launch preparations, Yonhap news agency reported Sunday, citing a government official.
