NK Missile Test

[Anchor Lead]

Just one week after firing the Hwasong-12 ballistic missile in a threat to the U.S. mainland, North Korea has launched yet another ballistic missile - the second of its kind since the inauguration of South Korea's new government. Let’s find out more.

[Pkg]

The North's new ballistic missile launch took place at 4:59 p.m. Sunday. It was captured by the South Korean military's Aegis destroyers two minutes after the launch. The ballistic missile was fired slightly northward from Pukchang in Pyongannam-do Province. It flew about 500 kilometers before falling into the East Sea. A military official said that the missile's flight track was similar to that of the Pukguksong-2 missile that was fired into the East Sea on February 12. The Pukguksong-2 missile is a ground-to-ground intermediate-range ballistic missile based on the Pukguksong-1 model. Its firing range is over 2,000 kilometers, but falls short of the range of intercontinental ballistic missiles which surpasses 5,500 kilometers. But the launch of the Pukguksong-2 is hard to predict, as it's powered by solid fuel and does not require advance fueling. What's more, it was designed to be operated secretly in mountainous areas.

[Soundbite] Shin Jong-woo(Korea Defense & Security Forum) : "A week ago, North Korea successfully operated a liquid-fuel engine. If it can us a solid-fuel n engine powered by liquid fuel. If a solid-fuel engine, it means the North's missile technologies are more sophisticated than before."

Eight minutes after the launch, President Moon Jae-in ordered that the National Security Council's standing committee be convened immediately. The military is analyzing the track and type of the fired missile in-depth in cooperation with U.S. intelligence officials.