ROK's military believes DPRK fires short-range missile into eastern waters

SEOUL -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired one projectile, believed to be a short-range missile, into the eastern waters, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) of the Republic of Korea (ROK) said Tuesday.

The JCS said in a statement that the projectile was launched eastwards from Mupyong-ri in Jagang province of the DPRK at about 6:40 am local time (2140 GMT Monday).

It did not specify if the projectile was a ballistic missile, but the Japanese government said it appears to be a ballistic missile and splashed into waters outside its exclusive economic zone, according to Japan's Kyodo News.

The DPRK is banned from all ballistic missile activities under the UN Security Council resolutions.

According to ROK's Yonhap news agency, the projectile traveled shorter than 200 km at an altitude of about 30 km. The flight distance, altitude and pattern were different from other known missiles of the DPRK.

An unnamed ROK's military official was quoted by Yonhap as saying that the projectile was estimated to be a new type of missile, which is different in speed and altitude from other short-range missiles of the DPRK.

The JCS said the intelligence authorities of the ROK and the United States were making a precision analysis on further details of the launch.

It noted that the ROK's military was closely monitoring relevant situations and maintaining a full readiness posture in cooperation with the United States to brace for the DPRK's possible further launch.

The projectile launch came after the DPRK test-fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Sept 15.

The DPRK launched two cruise missiles into the western waters on Jan 22 and March 21, firing two ballistic missiles into the eastern waters on March 25. It also test-launched long-range cruise missiles on Sept 11-12.

Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, said last Friday that Pyongyang is willing to hold discussions on improving inter-Korean relations if the ROK ends its hostile policies toward the DPRK.

Kim's comment was made in response to a proposal by the ROK's President Moon Jae-in, who offered a political declaration to terminate the 1950-53 Korean War during his speech at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The ROK and the DPRK are still technically at war as the fratricidal war ended with armistice, not peace treaty.

President Moon ordered a comprehensive analysis of the DPRK's missile launch and the statement of Kim, younger sister of top DPRK leader Kim Jong-un, to draw up countermeasures, according to the presidential Blue House.

Top security officials held an emergency meeting of the National Security Council following the DPRK's missile launch, voicing regret over the launch, the Blue House said.