Yesterday, when we discussed the NYT's report that the Obama administration had been waging a cyberwar against North Korea's missiles for at least three years, leading to frequent "unexplained" crashes just on or following launch, we concluded with a cautionary question "whether Kim Jong-Un, already facing a potential mutiny at home (to which he has so far responded by demonstratively executing official with anti-aircraft guns) will take this confirmation of what many would call an act of war by the US, and retaliate."
While we don't know the answer just yet, moments ago South Korea's Yonhap News reported in an urgent news bulletin that North Korea has fired an unidentified projectile into East Sea.
As Yonhap adds, North Korea on Monday fired an unidentified projectile into the East Sea in an apparent protest against the ongoing joint military drills between South Korea and the United States, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
As VOA's Steve Herman adds, the North Korean missile launch comes on morning of 6th day of US-#ROK Foal Eagle annual drill.
#DPRK missile launch comes on morning of 6th day of US-#ROK Foal Eagle annual drill. https://t.co/z6lkAqFBD8 #Korea pic.twitter.com/hpFi5U1Y56
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) March 5, 2017
The projectile was launched from an area near the North's Dongchang-ri long-range missile site at 7:36 a.m. and flew across the country before splashing into the East Sea, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a text message.
It could be an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, a military official at the defense ministry said.
North Korea has staged a series of missile tests with increasing range, with the aim of eventually building long-range nuclear missiles capable of striking the U.S. mainland.