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North Korea missile explodes in midair after launch, South's military says

26 June 2024 12:48 (UTC +04:00)

North Korea test-fired what appeared to be a hypersonic missile off its east coast on Wednesday, but it exploded in midair, South Korea's military said, APA reports citing Reuters.

The missile was launched from near the capital, Pyongyang, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Japan's Defence Ministry said the missile flew to an altitude of about 100 km (62 miles) and range of more than 200 km.

Senior officials of South Korea, the United States and Japan held a phone call and condemned the launch as a violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions and a serious threat to the peace and stability of the region and beyond.

South Korean and U.S. air forces said they conducted joint exercises involving F-22 and F-35 stealth fighter as part of their annual Buddy Squadron training.

South Korea's marine corps staged separate firing drills near the maritime border with the North for the first time since Seoul scrapped an inter-Korean military pact early this month. The drills were announced earlier in June.

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command also issued a condemnation and called on Pyongyang to refrain from further unlawful and destabilising acts.

"While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, or territory, or to our allies, we continue to monitor the situation," it said in a statement.

North Korea's last missile launch was on May 30.

North Korea this week criticised the deployment of a U.S. aircraft carrier to joint drills with South Korea and Japan, and warned of an "overwhelming, new demonstration of deterrence".