North Korea reveals details on type of missile it launched yesterday

WORLD, Feb. 19 (YPA) – North Korea on Sunday unveiled the type of missile it launched yesterday, which  sparked a wave of criticism and concerns in both Tokyo and Seoul.

Pyongyang said it fired launched the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile, in a “surprise launch” exercise aimed at ensuring the country’s nuclear deterrent, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA ) reported on Sunday.

According to KCNA, the Hwasong-15 ICBM, launched at a high angle through the maximum range system, traveled up to an altitude of 5,768.5 kilometres and flew 989 kilometres for 4,015 seconds before hitting a pre-set area in open waters of the East Sea of Korea.

“The drills were organized unexpectedly without prior notice, in accordance with an emergency firepower combat readiness order issued at dawn on February 18,” the agency added.

The agency added the launch was carried out from an international airport in Pyongyang in the afternoon.

It was North Korea’s first intercontinental ballistic missile launch since it launched the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile in November last year.

E.M