By Jun Ji-hye
North Korea attempted to launch what appeared to be a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) Tuesday morning, but it exploded right after ignition, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
This is the fourth time this year that Pyongyang has failed to launch a Musudan — a humiliating series of incidents for the Kim Jong-un regime.
The failures also cast serious doubts over the quality of the missiles, which were first deployed when Kim’s late father, Kim Jong-il, ruled the regime.
"North Korea attempted to launch an unidentified missile from Wonsan, Gangwon Province, at around 5:20 a.m., but it is presumed to have been unsuccessful,” said the JCS in a briefing.
“The military is studying details of the launch and is maintaining a high level of combat readiness in preparation for any additional provocations.”
The previous day, the South Korean military said it detected signs of the North deploying a ballistic missile near the east coast city of Wonsan for a potential launch.
Japan’s Kyodo News also reported that the North might be preparing to launch a ballistic missile.
The Musudan, also known as the BM-25, is thought to have a range of some 3,000 to 4,000 kilometers, long enough to reach Guam, home to U.S. naval and air bases.
The repressive state deployed the Musudan missiles in 2007 without testing them, according to defense sources.
Pyongyang conducted the first launch of the missile on April 15, the 104th anniversary of the birth of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung — the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un — as the regime was gearing up for a high-profile ruling party congress in early May. The missile exploded in the air at the time, according to the JCS.
Then on April 28, the North conducted launches in the morning and afternoon, respectively. Both attempts ended in failure.
Sources noted that the North has apparently tried to analyze the causes of the failures in previous launches and address deficiencies before pushing ahead with the latest. The fourth failure once again highlighted problems involving the regime’s technology related to the IRBMs.
They said the North is apparently switching from its charm offensive toward Seoul to provocative action.
After the Seventh Workers’ Party Congress was concluded on May 9, the isolated state repeatedly called on the South to accept offers of dialogue.
As these offers were rejected by Seoul — which called for denuclearization steps prior to any inter-Korean dialogue — the North has increased military tension in recent days.
On Saturday, the regime said it would open fire without warning on any South Korean warship that intrudes across the “border” in the West Sea.
The North claims that the South Korean Navy’s firing of warning shots at its vessels which crossed the Northern Limit Line (NLL) was “a premeditated plot” to heighten inter-Korean tension.
On Friday morning, a fishing boat and a patrol boat from North Korea violated the maritime border. They returned to the northern side after the South Korean Navy fired five warning shots.