ROK: DPRK fires intermediate-range projectile

People watch a television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of a DPRK missile test, at a railway station in Seoul on Jan 30, 2022, after DPRK fired a "suspected ballistic missile" in the country's seventh weapons test this month according to the South's military.
(JUNG YEON-JE / AFP)

SEOUL – The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired an intermediate-range projectile, believed to be a ballistic missile, toward its eastern waters, the Republic of Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Sunday.

The JCS said in a statement that the ROK military detected one intermediate-range ballistic missile, which was launched eastward at a high angle into the eastern waters from the Mupyong-ri area in the DPRK's northern province of Jagang at about 7:52 am local time Sunday.

The projectile traveled some 800 km at an altitude of around 2,000 km

The projectile traveled some 800 km at an altitude of around 2,000 km. The intelligence authorities of ROK and the United States were analyzing further details on the projectiles, according to the JCS.

Right after the DPRK's projectile launch, the JCS chief and the ROK-US combined forces commander held phone talks and reaffirmed the firm defense posture between ROK and the United States, the JCS said.

The JCS noted that the ROK military was monitoring the relevant situations and maintaining readiness posture to prepare for the possible additional launch.

READ MORE: DPRK fires railway-borne missile in latest launch

ROK President Moon Jae-in presided over the emergency plenary session of the National Security Council (NSC), marking the first such meeting convened by the president in about one year, according to the presidential Blue House.

During the session, Moon said the DPRK's projectile launch was a challenge against the denuclearization, peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula as well as diplomatic efforts by the international community, noting that it was an act violating the UN Security Council resolutions.

Moon urged the DPRK to stop raising tension and committing any act of pressure, calling for Pyongyang to respond to the dialogue overtures from the international community including ROK and the United States.

The DPRK said it conducted six missile tests in January, including a hypersonic missile on Jan 5 and Jan 11 each, two railway-borne short-range ballistic missiles on Jan 14, two tactical guided missiles on Jan 17, a long-range cruise missile on Tuesday and a surface-to-surface tactical guided missile on Thursday. Sunday's launch marked the seventh of such tests. 

READ MORE: DPRK confirms successful test fire of hypersonic missile