By Yi Whan-woo
Officials and scientists in North Korea may have lied to the nation’s leader Kim Jong-un that the country successfully test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) last week after a trial failed, according to South Korean military sources, Sunday.
Citing their analysis, the sources said the missile exploded in midair after it was launched from a 2,000-ton Sinpo-class submarine in the East Sea and traveled 30 kilometers.
After the test-firing, the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of Pyongyang’s Workers’ Party, reported that the SLBM successfully separated its fairings and “proved an accurate operation of its nuclear detonator.”
“It instead broke into two or three pieces after the explosion, which means the test failed,” a source said on condition of anonymity.
“It’s also unlikely that the SLBM exploded in accordance with the North Korean military’s plan to activate the nuclear detonator,” said a different official.
The official cited that the 30 kilometer travelling distance was well below the SLBM’s minimum range of 300 kilometers.
The test-launch of what was seen as a KN-11 SLBM took place under the supervision of Kim, according to Pyongyang’s state-controlled Korean Central News Agency.
North Korea has been failing in its test-launches of ballistic missiles ― including three Musudan medium-range missiles ― since April 15.
It is speculated that the repressive regime is defying the U.N. Security Council’s latest sanctions and is preparing for military provocations to mark the Seventh Workers’ Party Congress.
The rare congressional meeting will take place for the first time since 1980.
“The repeated failures of its missile launches could affect Pyongyang’s export of missile technology, which has been a major source of hard currency,” an official said.