North Korea tried to test-launch a ballistic missile from a submarine, a website that monitors the reclusive state reported, as Chinese state media said defiant actions by Pyongyang have become a threat to regional security. In a report published on Thursday, NK News said the “attempted” launch involved a Sinpo-class submarine, a new type of naval vessel built by the Korean People’s Army.
The website said the submarine sailed towards the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, prompting South Korean intelligence to track the vessel’s movement. But it turned back without firing the missile. “It seems that the submarine dealt with a malfunction during the process of their fourth SLBM [submarine ballistic missile] test launch and decided to return,” an unidentified former South Korean admiral told the site. FULL REPORT
