Less than a full month into 2022, North Korea has completed a seventh known missile launch with the country confirming it had tested the Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) on January 30.
The latest test marked the first time since 2017 that the country tested a missile of this size.
According to estimates from South Korea, Japan, and the US, the missile flew for about 30 minutes and had a 800 km range at a maximum height of 2,000 kilometers. The missile landed in the East Sea.
Classified as an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), Hwasong-12 has an estimated range of between 3,000 and 5,500 kilometers.
North Korea said the test “confirmed the accuracy, security and operational effectiveness of the Hwasong-12 weapon system under production.”
“In consideration of the safety of neighboring countries, the Academy of Defense Science conducted a shooting test from the northwestern region of our country to the East Sea of Korea using the maximum-elevation launch system,” a release in the North Korean official mouthpiece KCNA said.
The test from January 30 was the country’s seventh this year. The launch followed two earlier ones in the week, which included two surface-to-surface tactical guided missile launches on January 27 and two cruise missiles from January 25.
The previous four took place between January 5 and January 17.
