‘Very sorry’: Japanese broadcaster NHK sends false alert telling audience to take cover from North Korean missile
Japan and North Korea have a tense relationship, with Pyongyang routinely issuing verbal threats as well as firing missiles near or above Japan
Japan’s public broadcaster on Tuesday mistakenly flashed that North Korea appeared to have launched a missile, warning people to take cover before apologising for the error only minutes later.
A news alert saying: “It appears North Korea launched a missile … ‘Evacuate inside buildings or underground’: government” was published by the NHK website and app at 6.55pm local time. But after just five minutes, NHK admitted the alert was sent in error.
“We’re very sorry,” NHK said on its website, without explaining further.
It came just days after a false cellphone alert warning of an incoming ballistic missile terrified residents in Hawaii.
Japan and North Korea have a tense relationship, with Pyongyang routinely issuing verbal threats as well as firing missiles near or above Japan.
“Don’t scare me. It’s good that [North Korea] didn’t launch a missile,” one Japanese Twitter user said.