North Korea, under toughest-yet United Nations sanctions, on Wednesday fired two Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missiles in Wonsan, Gangwon off its east coast early Wednesday in its fifth and sixth attempt to test the ballistic missiles. The first one exploded in mid-air, but the second missile was deemed successful and most effective up to date, flying about 400 kilometers before landing in the East Sea, according to South Korean military.

South Korea and the United States strongly condemned the back-to-back test fire as it violates the U.N. Resolution. Right after the missile launch, South Korea convened a session of the National Security Council (NSC) chaired by National Security Adviser Kim Kwan-jin. During the meeting, participants discussed various countermeasures against the North’s continued provocations amid the economic sanctions imposed by the United Nations.

At around 5:58 a.m., the North fired off what is presumed to be a Musudan missile from near Wonsan along the east coast, but the launch seems to have ended in failure as it flew a mere 150 kilometers, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. But another missile fired about two hours later at 8:05 a.m. from the same area is viewed by experts as a success as the missile flew some 400 kilometers before landing in the targeted waters.

Military analysts focus on the North’s technical advance in terms of missile engine power, saying the North seems to intentionally increase a firing angle to shorten the launch range and not to fly over Japan. If it was fired at a normal angle of 45 degrees, it could have flown some 3,000 kilometers, which means it could theoretically reach U.S. military units in Okinawa in Japan and fly as far as the U.S. territory of Guam.

The North’s missile tests raise concerns about advances made in the North`s nuclear and missile program as Pyongyang is seeking to develop a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting targets on the U.S. mainland.

By Kim Sung-hoon and Park Eui-myung

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