Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, March 10, 2003
DPRK Test-fires Missile: S. Korea
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday test-fired a missile into the sea off its coast around midday (0300 GMT), South Korea's Defense Ministry announced.
Kim Ki-Beom, a spokesman of the Defense Ministry, said the missile was believed to be an anti-ship missile similar to one that the DPRK test-fired on Feb. 24.
South Korea was trying to determine whether the new test was successful, reports here said, adding that the Feb. 24 launch proved a failure since it appeared to have exploded in midair due to defects.
The new missile launch came amid escalating tensions over the nuclear issue of the DPRK.
The missile launch has been confirmed by the Japanese government, reports from Tokyo said.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry said Monday that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) had test-fired a land-to-ship missile into the sea off the coast, but that it was not considered a direct threat to Japan.
"We understand this was not a ballistic missile and therefore is not considered a direct threat to Japan," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hatsuhisa Takashima said.
On Feb. 24, the DPRK fired an anti-ship missile into the same waters.