TOKYO — North Korea appeared to have fired one of its biggest ballistic missiles in almost five years, adding to its largest series of tests since Kim Jong Un took power as he tries to force his nuclear arsenal back on to the Biden administration’s agenda.
The missile reached an altitude of up to 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) and flew for about 30 minutes, Japan’s top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said in a televised briefing. The missile flew eastward for about 800 km and likely landed in waters outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone, he said, adding that officials are “currently conducting further analysis.”
The launch comes after North Korea this month set off one of its biggest series of missile volleys since August 2019. It also threatened to end its nearly four-year hiatus on tests of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles designed to deliver warheads to the U.S. mainland.
