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North Korea on Friday fired a suspected long-range missile designed to strike the mainland US, a day after the North resumed its testing activities in an apparent protest over US moves to solidify its alliances with South Korea and Japan, reports AP.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that it detected a ballistic missile launch off the North’s eastern coast on Friday morning.
The missile launched is likely an intercontinental ballistic missile, said the statement.
Meanwhile, Japan Defense Ministry also said in a statement that North Korea fired an ICBM-class ballistic missile from its western coastal area that flew toward its eastern waters across the country.
The missile, launched at around 10:14 am (0114GMT) was still in flight and may land inside of the Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone.
It would be North Korea’s first ICBM launch in about two weeks. Outside experts said that an ICBM launched by North Korea on November 3 failed to fly its intended flight, added the statement.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
