N. Korea test fires ‘submarine-launched ballistic missile’ into sea

Pyongyang: North Korea fired submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) from off its east coast on Tuesday with no reports of casualties or damage, reported officials in South Korea and Japan.   

North Korea continued its frenetic pace of weapons tests, firing off an apparent SLBM into the Sea of Japan, pulling country's new prime minister off the campaign trail and overshadowing the opening of major arms fair in Seoul.

There was conflicting information on the number of ballistic missiles launched, as Japanese authorities said two ballistic missiles were fired. However, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff claiming that only one missile was fired from the vicinity of Sinpo.

In Sinpo, North Korea keeps submarines as well as equipment for test firing SLBMs.

A military source stated that the projectile flew about 430-450 kilometres to a maximum altitude of 60 kilometres.  

The last time North Korea test-fired a SLBM was in October 2019, when a Pukguksong-3 missile was fired from an underwater platform, flying 450 kilometres to a maximum altitude of 910 kilometres.

North Korea has test-fired a series of missiles in recent weeks.

On September 15, the country launched two short-range ballistic missiles, the first such tests in nearly six months, and on 28 of same month, it launched a newly developed hypersonic missile.

Todays’ launch came after U.S. and South Korean envoys met in Washington to discuss the nuclear standoff with North Korea on Monday.

Today's launch came as the top North Korea envoys of Japan, the United States and South Korea were slated to meet in Washington.

Reportedly, Spy chiefs from the United States (US), South Korea, and Japan were slated to meet on Tuesday (today) as well.