North Korea launched three missiles eastward Thursday morning, the Japanese government said, adding one of them may have been an intercontinental ballistic missile.
The Japanese government had initially issued a J-Alert warning that the first missile launched by North Korea would fly over the main island of Honshu, but it later corrected the announcement, saying the projectile had disappeared from radar over the Sea of Japan.
Photo taken Nov. 3, 2022, in Tokyo shows the Japanese government's J-alert message on a ballistic missile fired by North Korea. (Kyodo)
North Korea's latest missile launches appeared to be in retaliation for the first large-scale joint air exercise by the United States and South Korea in five years, scheduled to be held for five days through Friday, foreign affairs experts said.
There is growing concern that North Korea may conduct its seventh nuclear test and first since September 2017 in the run-up to the U.S. midterm elections next week.
On Thursday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned North Korea's repeated missile launches as a "barbaric act and totally unacceptable."
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks to reporters at the premier's office in Tokyo on Nov. 3, 2022, about North Korea's firing of missiles. (Kyodo)
No damage from the missiles was reported, according to the government, which had earlier issued an alert urging residents in some northeastern and central Japan prefectures to remain indoors.
The South Korean military said what appeared to be a long-range ballistic missile was fired from Pyongyang's Sunan area at around 7:40 a.m., followed by two short-range missiles from South Pyongan Province from about 8:39 a.m., all of which were fired toward the east.
Regarding the first missile launched by North Korea, Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada told reporters, "We are still investigating the cause of its disappearance."
One of the North Korean missiles flew about 750 kilometers at an altitude of around 2,000 km before falling into the Sea of Japan, Hamada said.
The launches came a day after North Korea fired about 100 artillery projectiles as well as more than 20 short-range ballistic and other missiles, one of which fell on the south side of the de facto maritime border for the first time since the Korean Peninsula was divided.
On Oct. 4, North Korea fired a missile that flew over the Japanese archipelago for the first time since 2017.
Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada (C) meets the press at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo on Nov. 3, 2022, after North Korea fired ballistic missiles earlier in the day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
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N. Korea fires missiles, 1 flies across maritime border for 1st time
The Japanese government had initially issued a J-Alert warning that the first missile launched by North Korea would fly over the main island of Honshu, but it later corrected the announcement, saying the projectile had disappeared from radar over the Sea of Japan.
Photo taken Nov. 3, 2022, in Tokyo shows the Japanese government's J-alert message on a ballistic missile fired by North Korea. (Kyodo)
North Korea's latest missile launches appeared to be in retaliation for the first large-scale joint air exercise by the United States and South Korea in five years, scheduled to be held for five days through Friday, foreign affairs experts said.
There is growing concern that North Korea may conduct its seventh nuclear test and first since September 2017 in the run-up to the U.S. midterm elections next week.
On Thursday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned North Korea's repeated missile launches as a "barbaric act and totally unacceptable."
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks to reporters at the premier's office in Tokyo on Nov. 3, 2022, about North Korea's firing of missiles. (Kyodo)
No damage from the missiles was reported, according to the government, which had earlier issued an alert urging residents in some northeastern and central Japan prefectures to remain indoors.
The South Korean military said what appeared to be a long-range ballistic missile was fired from Pyongyang's Sunan area at around 7:40 a.m., followed by two short-range missiles from South Pyongan Province from about 8:39 a.m., all of which were fired toward the east.
Regarding the first missile launched by North Korea, Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada told reporters, "We are still investigating the cause of its disappearance."
One of the North Korean missiles flew about 750 kilometers at an altitude of around 2,000 km before falling into the Sea of Japan, Hamada said.
The launches came a day after North Korea fired about 100 artillery projectiles as well as more than 20 short-range ballistic and other missiles, one of which fell on the south side of the de facto maritime border for the first time since the Korean Peninsula was divided.
On Oct. 4, North Korea fired a missile that flew over the Japanese archipelago for the first time since 2017.
Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada (C) meets the press at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo on Nov. 3, 2022, after North Korea fired ballistic missiles earlier in the day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
Related coverage:
N. Korea fires missiles, 1 flies across maritime border for 1st time
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Summary
North Korea launched three missiles, possibly an ICBM, on Nov 3, causing a J-Alert warning in Japan. The first missile may have flown over Honshu but was later found over the Sea of Japan. Experts link this action to a US-South Korea joint air exercise. Concerns rise over potential nuclear test
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ID: 7df50f3b-c197-42a8-bdc7-74880be4c1c5
Category ID: kyodo
Created: 2022/11/03 13:31
Updated: 2025/12/09 12:00
Last Read: 2022/11/03 13:31