North Korea attempted to fire a missile it introduced at a massive military parade – but it was an embarrassing failure when the weapon blew up four or five seconds after being launched.
It is thought to be one of the country’s new ‘game-changer’ intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) which was revealed to the world in a display of military might yesterday.
The South Korean defence ministry said it had detected a failed launch from Sinpo – where North Korea’s biggest submarine base is located.
According to a military official the weapon is ‘presumed to be a new ICBM’ as it is longer than the existing KN-08 or KN-14 missiles.
US defence secretary James Mattis said Donald Trump is ‘aware’ of the launch and has no further comment as Vice President landed in South Korea ahead of a 10-day Asia tour.
The South Korean defence ministry said in a statement: ‘North Korea attempted to test an unidentified type of missile from Sinpo area in the South Hamkyong Province this morning, but we suspect the launch has failed.’
In a statement, the US military said: ‘U.S. Pacific Command detected and tracked what we assess was a North Korean missile launch at 11:21 a.m. Hawaii time April 15.
‘The launch of the ballistic missile occurred near Sinpo.
‘The missile blew up almost immediately. The type of missile is still being assessed.
‘U.S. Pacific Command is fully committed to working closely with our allies in the Republic of Korea and in Japan to maintain security.’
The Foreign Office has said it is ‘concerned by reports of a missile test by North Korea’ and is ‘monitoring the situation closely’.
It comes just hours after North Korea unveiled new weapons during a display of the country’s military might in the country’s capital Pyongyang as Kim Jong-Un warned of an ‘annihilating strike’ if the US attacks.
It has left President Donald Trump juggling North Korea, China and Russia after a string of threats and promises he made from Washington.
Before meeting Chinese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the beginning of the month, he said if China did not intervene in North Korea, the US would ‘take care of it’.
Then when Russia refused to condemn Syria’s chemical attack in Idlib a week later, Trump came out to say relations were at an all time low having praised Russian President Vladimir Putin during his election campaign.
It appeared as though The Oval Office was focused on Moscow and its relationship with Syrian President Bashar Assad, but after the failed missile launch and with Mike Pence’s tour of Asia starting today, the emphasis may have shifted again to the North and China.
Meanwhile Pyongyang threatened ‘catastrophic consequences’ when Trump sent an armada of warships to the Korean Peninsula.
At the same time, China has moved 150,000 troops to its border to deal with a possible influx of North Korean refugees amid fears Trump may strike Kim following the surprise US missile attack on Syria last week.
The intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), which Pyongyang claim could travel thousands of miles, have increased concerns that the secretive state is preparing for a possible attack on Washington after they were paraded during the country’s Day of the Sun celebrations.
US Vice President Mike Pence has arrived in South Korea at the start of a 10-day trip to Asia that comes amid the turmoil over North Korea’s threats to advance its growing nuclear and defence capabilities.
He is joined by his wife and two adult daughters and will lay a wreath at the Seoul National Cemetery and join US and South Korean troops for Easter Sunday church services and a dinner.
Pence is the son of a Korean War veteran and displays his late father’s Bronze Star in his office.
Just hours before Pence landed in the South, a gleeful Kim, wearing a Western-style suit at Kim Il-sung Square, saluted formations of soldiers who yelled out ‘long live’ to celebrate the 105th anniversary of his grandfather’s birth.
Addressing South Koreans in a speech, Pence said: ‘This morning’s provocation from the North is just the latest reminder of the risks each one of you face every day in the defence of the freedom of the people of South Korea and the defence of America in this part of the world.
‘Your willingness to step forward, to serve, to stand firm without fear inspires our nation and inspires the world.’
The two new kinds of ICBM were enclosed in canister launchers mounted on the back of transporter erector launcher trucks as they were paraded in front of crowds during today’s festivities.
Pyongyang has yet to formally announce it has an operational ICBM but experts believe they the new rockets could be liquid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missiles, or an early prototype.
Submarine-launched ballistic missiles were also among the military hardware on show for the first time.
It indicates an improving technological capability that could help it evade anti-missile systems.
Kim has accused President Donald Trump of provoking his nation towards armed conflict with a series of increasingly aggressive moves, including sending the USS Carl Vinson to the Korean peninsula.
One of Kim’s top officials, Choe Ryong Hae, today vowed North Korea would ‘beat down enemies with the power of nuclear justice’.
He told the packed-out square: ‘If the United States wages reckless provocation against us, our revolutionary power will instantly counter with annihilating strike, and we will respond to full-out war with full-out war and to nuclear war with our style of nuclear strike warfare.’
In his annual New Year’s address, Kim said North Korea’s preparations for an ICBM launch had ‘reached the final stage’.
Recent satellite imagery suggests the country could conduct another underground nuclear test at any time.
Reports of the launch from the country’s east coast came after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told the rogue state it must adhere to UN resolutions in order to secure peace.
As international tension heightened over the country’s nuclear weapons programme in the face of fierce American criticism of the Pyongyang regime, Mr Johnson said the situation needed to be looked at carefully.
‘We have been here before but continue to monitor the situation carefully.
He added: ‘We stand alongside our international partners in making clear that North Korea must adhere to UN resolutions designed to secure peace and stability in the region and stop its pursuit of nuclear weapons.’
As concern about the situation mounted, there were reports that President Trump’s military advisers have assured the UK that America has the capability to neutralise North Korea’s nuclear programme using conventional weapons.
It could come in the form of a pre-emptive strike with US national security adviser General HR McMaster apparently telling British security chiefs and military top brass that Washington has the intelligence to target key sites in the nuclear programme.
Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has been briefed by his US equivalent General James Mattis on American options for dealing with North Korea in recent weeks, The Sunday Times said.
The Ministry of Defence said it never comments on private conversations between Sir Michael and his international counterparts.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4415314/North-Korea-attempts-launch-missile-fails.html#ixzz4ePVXzXHI
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If you truly believe this was a “failed” attempt, I strongly suggest you read the book titled, “One Second After”.
I believe the EMP you speak of, will be brought to us not by NK..But DC
sure , they’d love for us to believe its NK..or even Russia or China … but it will be brought to us by the same Traitors that have been setting us up for decades