09/16/2021 10:07
Clarín.com
World
Updated 09/16/2021 10:07 AM
North Korea announced on Thursday the launch of
ballistic missiles from a train
for the first time, as part of its plans to strengthen its "war deterrent," a day after the two Koreas tested missiles hours apart in a duel of military might.
The launches underscored the return of tensions on the Korean Peninsula amid a
prolonged stalemate
in US-led talks to dismantle North Korea's nuclear weapons program.
The North Korean Central News Agency reported that Wednesday's launches were part of an exercise by a
"regiment of rail-transported missiles"
that it said transported the weapons system along railways in the mountainous region of
North Korea.
center of the country and
accurately hit
a maritime target 800 kilometers away.
Missile launch in an unidentified area in North Korea.
Photo: EFE
State media showed what appeared to be
two different missiles
emerging from launchers mounted on train cars amid orange flames on tree-lined railroad tracks.
The armies of South Korea and Japan confirmed that
two short-range ballistic missiles
fired by North Korea flew 800 kilometers before landing at sea, within Japan's exclusive economic zone, outside its territorial waters.
The last time a North Korean missile landed within that area was in October 2019.
Climbing
The train trial would be the last the Pyongyang regime has planned for this year.
But testing will continue later on either side of one of the hottest frontiers on the planet.
Seoul reported that it will launch a solid-fuel rocket in 2024, developments that join others revealed this week and that show
an arms escalation in the peninsula.
Although North Korean propaganda did not specify the type of missile fired from trains, with this new launch system North Korea seems to want to increase
the number of mobile elements
capable of deploying and firing missiles from different geographical points.
The launch was chaired by General Pak Jong-chon, a member of the presidium of the one-party politburo, who was already present in another test carried out last weekend, when Pyongyang tested a new model of long-range cruise missile.
A screen shows how the North Korean missile was launched.
Photo: AFP
These tests also come two weeks after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned that Pyongyang this year reactivated
facilities to obtain nuclear fuel
that can be used for bombs.
In an unusual gesture, South Korea responded to the last two northern weapons tests by launching a submarine ballistic missile (SLBM) and announcing the development of
a new supersonic
anti-ship
cruise
missile, an air-to-surface missile for its new fighters and a new "more powerful" ballistic missile.
Although he did not specify more details about this latest projectile, Defense sources leaked to the media a few days ago that the missile is in its last phase of development (Seoul showed images of a test launch) and that it will be capable of supporting a payload. of about three tons and travel more than 400 kilometers.
The North Korean test of launching missiles from a train.
Photo: AP
With that range and greater destructive potential, Seoul would have the ability to destroy tunnels and underground facilities
anywhere in North Korea.
To all these announcements was added the plan to launch a solid-fuel space rocket for the first time in 2024, which will allow South Korea to be more efficient in placing
satellites that enhance its military intelligence
in low Earth orbit
.
These South Korean displays of muscle seem destined on the one hand to underline
greater autonomy vis-à-vis the US
in defense matters and also to send a message of strength from the ruling Democratic Party (PD) to the South Korean electorate, who will have to choose.
new president in six months.
South Korea launches a missile from a submarine.
Photo: AFP
The North Korean leader's sister, Kim Yo-jong, criticized these tests late on Tuesday
, calling
South Korean President
Moon Jae-in
"stupid"
for calling the latest northern tests "provocative".
Kim warned that inter-Korean relations may be "at a standstill" if the current arms escalation continues.
This escalation of tension on the peninsula comes as the denuclearization dialogue still stalled since the failed 2019 Hanoi summit and after Pyongyang cut communications with Seoul in protest of joint military exercises between South Korea and the US in August. USA
Agencies
ap