Japan's Defense Ministry Sources: N.korean Missile Likely Icbm Class
Japan's Defense Ministry sources say the missile launched by North Korea on Thursday was likely of an ICBM, or intercontinental ballistic missile, class.
Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo said the missile was launched at around 2:33 p.m. on Thursday. He said it flew about 71 minutes and is believed to have fallen in waters within Japan's exclusive economic zone, 150 kilometers off Oshima Peninsula of the northern prefecture of Hokkaido.
Kishi added the missile traveled an estimated 1,100 kilometers and reached a maximum altitude of more than 6,000 kilometers.
Defense sources say it is believed to have been launched on what's called a lofted trajectory, or a steeper angle than usual.
They say that judging from its flight time, the missile appears to be an ICBM class, which has a range beyond 5,500 kilometers.
If the latest launch was of an ICBM class, it would be the sixth time overall, following one on March 5.
North Korea carried out the first three ICBM test-launches in 2017. All are believed to have fallen in waters within Japan's EEZ.
In the third launch, the missile reached an altitude of over 4,000 kilometers, setting a new record at the time. It flew about 53 minutes, traveling some 1,000 kilometers. It fell within Japan's EEZ off Aomori Prefecture.
The Defense Ministry analyzed that the third missile has a maximum range of more than 10,000 kilometers and could reach the US mainland.
The ministry also says the ICBM-class missiles launched on February 27 and March 5 reached altitudes of 600 kilometers and 550 kilometers, respectively. Both reportedly traveled about 300 kilometers.
Ministry officials say the North intentionally curbed the altitude and flight distance to check certain functions before testing one for maximum range.
Pyongyang also launched a ballistic missile on March 16, but it was believed to have ended in failure. The South Korean military says the launch may have been related to ICBM development.