U.S., S.Korea Fire Missiles following the North’s Suspected ICBM Launch

The U.S. and South Korea fired missiles into the East Sea, after Pyongyang reportedly launched three ballistic missiles including one intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Wednesday.

The two allies launched Hyunmoo-II ballistic missile and one Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missile to highlight their "rapid strike capabilities,” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

The suspected test-launch of the ICBM came hours after U.S. President Joe Biden ended a trip to Asia where he reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to defend its allies in the face of the North’s nuclear threat.

If confirmed, it would be Pyongyang’s first ICBM launch in about two months amid stalled nuclear diplomacy with the U.S. In March, North Korea claimed to have test-launched Hwasong-17, its longest-range missile as part of its development of functioning nuclear-armed missiles, breaking its 2018 moratorium on long-distance launches. Its previous ICBM launch was in 2017.

The launches were North Korea’s 17th round of missile firings this year.

Seoul said the suspected ICBM reached a maximum height of 540 km while travelling 360 km east after being fired from the North’s capital region. The JCS said the North apparently lost the second missile 20 km into flight, while the third missile flew 760 km on an apogee of 60 km, reports say.

In response to the North’s launches, the U.S. and South Korean militaries fired two surface-to-surface missiles to demonstrate the allies’ striking capabilities, a JCS statement said. It said the allies had detected North Korea’s preparations for the launches in advance.

The previous day, South Korea conducted an “elephant walk” that saw F-15K jets parading along a runway in formation.