Tokyo. January 18. INTERFAX - The Japanese Defense Ministry believes that North Korea on Monday launched short-range solid-fuel ballistic missiles, which it has already tested before.
The missiles were launched from the western part of North Korea in an easterly direction with an interval of three minutes on Monday morning, local media reported data from the Japanese defense ministry.
It is believed that the missiles reached a maximum altitude of about 50 km and probably flew about 300 km.
Presumably, both missiles fell off the east coast of North Korea, outside the exclusive economic zone of Japan.
The Ministry of Defense believes that Pyongyang has already launched short-range solid-fuel ballistic missiles of this type twice in August 2019 and March 2020.
The defense department said it will continue to collect and study intelligence and monitor North Korea's military activities in close cooperation with the United States and other countries.
Meanwhile, the South Korean Yonhap news agency notes that, according to a photo published by KCNA, the northern version of the US Army ATACMS tactical missile system, called KN-24, seems to have participated in the test launch on Monday.
Earlier, the DPRK confirmed that it had launched two short-range ballistic missiles.
"Two tactical guided missiles launched in the western part of the DPRK accurately hit an island target in the Sea of Japan of Korea," the KCNA said in a statement.
The Academy of Defense Sciences, which conducted the test fire, "confirmed the accuracy, safety and efficiency of the manufactured weapon system," the agency added.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, according to the media, was not present at the launch.
The missiles were launched in an easterly direction and flew about 380 km. Their maximum speed was five times the speed of sound.
