So it wasn’t a missile test after all

Intelligence authorities of South Korea and the United States have concluded that the recent intelligence report about a North Korean test of its surface-to-ship missile was not reliable. Defense officials of South Korea, Japan and U.S. had made conflicting remarks Tuesday about whether such a test had occurred.
The intelligence communities’ clarification was a rare move, because the two countries have often refused to confirm North Korea-related issues in order to protect their information collecting methods from exposure.
“There were reports that North Korea was planning a test launch Tuesday of its surface-to-ship missile from its base in Hwajin-ri, South Pyeongan province,” a South Korean Defense Ministry source said yesterday. “Considering the ordinary evidence a missile test produces, South Korea and the United States have concluded that North Korea did not conduct a test this time.”
North Korea designated a restricted travel zone in its waters off the coast of Hwajin-ri in the Yellow Sea, the source said, but no actual launch was observed. North Korea’s military normally deploys missile-tracking radar, a target and control vessels in the area, but no such equipment was placed, the source added.
“South Korea’s and the United States’ information sharing is working fine,” Jeong Se-hyun, minister of unification, said yesterday. “Both countries concluded that the report was incorrect.”
Defense Minister Cho Young-kil said a missile launch was unlikely because the area was not suitable for missile tests. Another senior official said inhabited islands and a naval base were located in the suspect area. North Korea test-fired two missiles this year toward the East Sea (Sea of Japan).
The U.S. and South Korean intelligence authorities did not rule out the possibility of a test-launch of an unidentified weapon. A missile of some other kind, not the earlier reported ground-to-ship missile, could have been tested, they said. Hwajin-ri area has been the frequent test site of the North’s long-range artillery, sources said.

by Lee Chul-hee