MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The two short-range projectiles fired by North Korea on Sunday were a test of a ‘super-large’ multiple rocket launcher, the South Korean Yonhap News Agency reports.
“The test-firing was successfully carried out,” Yonhap said on Monday, quoting the North Korean Rodong Sinmun newspaper.
According to the North’s official newspaper, the Sunday test was carried out in order to “verify strategic and technical characteristics of a super-large multiple rocket launcher once again.”
According to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), two projectiles were launched from North Korea’s eastern town of Wonsan on Sunday in the direction of the East Sea/Sea of Japan; they flew 230 kilometers (about 143 miles). The maximum altitude was 30 kilometers (18 miles). The launch took place at 06:10 a. m. local time on Sunday (21:10 GMT on Saturday).
Later in the day, Germany condemned the test launches by North Korea, calling upon Pyongyang to resume negotiations with the United States and observe its international commitments.
“The German government condemns North Korea’s recent tests of two short-range ballistic missiles. Since the beginning of the month, North Korea defiantly violates its obligations under UN Security Council resolutions in a series of missile tests that violate international law,” the German Federal Foreign Office said in a statement.
According to Berlin, Pyongyang’s actions of “irresponsible kind” are particularly dangerous at a time when “international solidarity and cooperation is required to fight the coronavirus pandemic.”
“The German government strongly urges North Korea to comply with its legal obligations, first of all, to refrain from conducting any further tests of ballistic missiles, and also to accept the US proposal to resume negotiations interrupted by North Korea,” the statement read.
This launch is already Pyongyang’s fourth one this year, with the first three conducted on 2 March, 9 March and 21 March.
Content retrieved from: https://sputniknews.com/asia/202003291078754361-north-korea-tests-super-large-rocket-launcher-test-appears-successful—reports/.