Las Vegas Sun

April 16, 2024

Seoul: North Korea test-fires missile from western region

North Korea Founder's Birthday Celebration

Wong Maye-E / AP

In this April 15, 2017, photo, a submarine missile is paraded across the Kim Il Sung Square during a military parade in Pyongyang, North Korea, to celebrate the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung, the country’s late founder.

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff says North Korea has test-fired a missile from the western part of its country. There were no other immediate details Saturday morning, including what type of missile was used.

North Korea routinely test-fires a variety of ballistic missiles, despite United Nations prohibitions, as part of its push to develop a long-range ballistic missile capable of hitting U.S. shores.

While shorter-range missiles are somewhat routine, there is strong outside worry about each longer range North Korean ballistic test.

Saturday's launch comes at a point of particularly high tension. U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a hard line with Pyongyang and sent a U.S. aircraft supercarrier to Korean waters.