Jan31,2022:North Korea has confirmed it fired a Hwasong-12 “mid-range ballistic missile” on Sunday, the first time it has tested a weapon of that size since 2017.
Japan and South Korea both detected the launch of the suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) on Sunday morning, the seventh weapons test this month.
The two countries condemned the test as a threat to regional security with South Korean officials warning the launch could lead to the resumed testing of long-range weapons and nuclear bombs.
North Korea has previously said the Hwasong-12 can carry a “large-size heavy nuclear warhead”.
KCNA reported the missile launch was conducted in such a way as to ensure the safety of neighbouring countries, and that the test warhead was fitted with a camera that took photos while it was in space.
Photos released by state media showed space-based images of North Korea and the surrounding areas through a round camera lens. North Korea first took such images in 2017, analysts said.
