North Korea launches long-range ballistic missile over Japan

A TV screen showing a news program reporting on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's missile launch with file footage is seen on October 4, 2022 at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, the Republic of Korea. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea DPRK fired a ballistic missile over Japan for the first time in five years, prompting a temporary suspension of train operations in northern Japan.

The Japanese government warned citizens to take cover as the missile appeared to have flown over and past its territory before falling into the Pacific Ocean.

It was the first DPRK missile to follow such a trajectory since 2017, and Tokyo said its 4,600 km-long range may have been the longest distance travelled for a DPRK test flight, which are more often lofted higher into space to avoid flying over neighboring countries.

The three countries conducted trilateral anti-submarine exercises last week, including a US aircraft carrier that stopped in the ROK for the first time since 2017.

Tokyo took no steps to shoot the missile down. Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said Japan wouldn't rule out any options, including counterattack capabilities.

The ROK said it would increase its military and allied cooperation.

The US said it strongly condemned the DPRK's decision to launch a long-range ballistic missile over Japan.

This action shows the DPRK's blatant disregard for the UN Security Council resolutions and international safety norms, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement.

Officials in Tokyo and Seoul said the missile flew between 4,500 and 4,600 km to a maximum altitude of about 1,000 km.

ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff JCS said that it appeared to have been an intermediate-range ballistic missile IRBM launched from the DPRK's Jagang province. The DPRK has used the province to launch several recent tests, including multiple missiles that it claimed were hypersonic. The test prompted East Japan Railway Co to suspend service in the northern regions, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported.

Kim Dong-yup, a former ROK Navy officer who now teaches at Kyungnam University, said the missile's initial flight details suggest it may have been the Hwasong 12 IRBM.

The Hwasong- 12 was used in 2017 tests that overflew Japan, and Kim noted that it was also fired from Jagang province in January.

A flag of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea flutters in the wind as a military soldier of the Republic of Korea stands guard on the border villages of Panmunjom in Paju, the Republic of ROK, on October 4, 2022. AHN YOUNG-JOON AP ROk President Yoon Suk-yeol called the test reckless and said it would bring a decisive response from his country's military, its allies and the international community.

He has pushed for more military muscle to deter DPRK, and the ROK staged its own show of advanced weaponry on Saturday to mark its Armed Forces Day, including multiple rocket launchers, ballistic missiles, main battle tanks, drones and F-35 fighters.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the government would continue to gather and analyze information.