In Seoul/Tokyo October 4, 2022, North Korea fired a missile over Japan into the Pacific Ocean, leading the government to warn residents to evacuate a possible attack. The missile was fired over 2,796 miles (4,500 kilometers), which Tokyo said was the farthest a North Korean missile has ever flown. This has also been the first missile fired near Japanese territory since 2017.
The missile was a Hwasong-12 IRBM, and it flew at Mach 17 at around 7:23 am. The missile flew from Mupyung-Ri, Jagang-Do. Its distance is large enough to reach Guam (2174 miles, or 3500 km).
One question is where North Korea obtained the engine to propel the missile. The IISS says illicit channels from Russia or Ukraine sent the RD-250 engine to North Korea, which is what the Hwasong-12 uses.
South Korean President Yoon Seok-Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said they would convene the National Security Council to discuss the matter. Kishida called the firing outrageous. Yoon promised a resolute response.
Ankit Panda said North Korean missile testing requires them to fly over one country's territory for adequate long-range testing. However, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said this action only deepens the relationship between the ROK-US's alliance deterrence and response capabilities.
However, one must consider the timing of this missile. October 1 is Korea's Armed Forces day. During that time, South Korea displays some strategic military force. As such, South Korea fired a missile about a day earlier, showing off the largest warhead they've ever created. It's called the Hyunmoo-5, which experts say might be derived from the Russian Iskander missile. According to SCMP, there are fears that this might begin a regional arms race between North and South Korea.
We await further news.
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