South Korea, Japan condemn North Korea’s ICMB test as UN Security Council prepares emergency meeting

South Korea presumed the missile was a Hwasong-14 – a two-stage ICBM North Korea tested twice in July

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un celebrates a test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Hwasong-14 in July. File photo: AFP

Published: 10:55am, 29 Nov 2017Updated: 11:32am, 29 Nov 2017

South Korean President Moon Jae-in condemned North Korea’s “reckless” missile test on Wednesday, and warned that the situation on the Korean peninsula risked spinning out of control into catastrophic conflict.

Addressing a hastily-convened national security meeting, Moon said the North’s latest launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which splashed down in waters near Japan, was a “reckless provocation” that would raise already elevated tensions to critical levels.

“The situation could get out of control if the North completes the development of ballistic missiles that can fly to a different continent,” Moon said.

“We have to prevent such a scenario where the North may miscalculate the situation and threaten us with nuclear weapons, or the US may consider a pre-emptive strike (against the North),” he added.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s military conducted a missile launch exercise near the eastern sea border with North Korea immediately after Pyongyang conducted its latest ballistic missile test, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

The “precision strike” missile exercise lasted about 20 minutes from 3:23am. It involved an army missile unit, a navy Aegis ship and an air force KF-16 fighter jet that each fired at a simulated target the same distance away as the site from where the North launched the ballistic missile.

The Japanese and US governments both said Wednesday’s missile appeared to be an ICBM, with the South Korean military further identifying it as a Hwasong-14 type, similarly launched into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) in July.