North Korea Test-Fires Non-ICBM Missile into East Sea

North Korea on Sunday fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea, the South Korean military announced, prompting condemnation from Washington and Tokyo as well as Seoul. 
"The missile launch is a clear violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions. It is aimed at drawing attention from the international community, and showing off its nuclear and missile capabilities in protest against the new US government," Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a text message, cited by state news agency (Yonhap). 
The JCS, however, said the latest missile did not appear to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of hitting the US mainland. 
The projectile, presumed to be an intermediate-range Musudan ballistic missile or a mid-range Rodong missile, flew about 500 kilometers before splashing into its eastern sea after being launched from Banghyon air base in the western province of North Pyongan Province, the JCS said. 
The relative short range has local experts speculating the projectile could be a Musudan or a similar rocket designed to test engines for an ICBM. 
"Seoul and Washington are conducting a joint analysis on additional information to determine if the missile is a modified Musudan missile or the shorter range Rodong missile," it said. The missile's flight distance of 500 km is shorter than the Musudan's estimated range of around 3,000 km. 
The US Strategic Command confirmed North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch, saying the projectile is believed to be either a medium- or intermediate-range missile. 
"US Strategic Command systems detected and tracked what we assess was a North Korean missile launch at 4:55 p.m. CST. The launch of a medium- or intermediate-range ballistic missile occurred near the northwestern city of Kusong," the command said, adding that the missile was tracked over North Korea and into the East Sea. 
In Florida, US President Donald Trump and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe slammed the reported missile test. 
Abe called it "absolutely intolerable," adding, "They must comply with the UN Security Council". 
For his part, Trump reaffirmed the US security commitment to Japan, saying: "I just want everybody to understand and fully know that the United States of America stands behind Japan, it's great ally, 100 percent". 
Meanwhile, the Japanese government confirmed the North's missile test and South Korea's presidential office called a national security meeting. 
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga reportedly said the missile launched by Pyongyang didn't hit Japanese waters. 
South Korea's Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn said at a meeting convened in Seoul that the country will make a "corresponding" response to punish Pyongyang for its latest missile launch in tandem with the international community.

Source: QNA