The DPRK launched a Hwasong-12 ballistic missile over Japan, causing the nationwide J-Alert warning system to go off

North Korea continues to test its ballistic missiles. On the night of October 4, the DPRK conducted its 23rd launch since the beginning of 2022. It was the seventh time the missile had flown over Japan.

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Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said that the DPRK has launched a Hwasong-12 missile with characteristics exceeding those of medium-range missiles. It is considered a medium-range missile, though technically it is considered a medium-range missile. According to the head of the agency, the North Korean ballistic missile flew 4,600 kilometers for the first time in the history of observations.

The minister noted that the impact point was outside the country's exclusive economic zone in the Pacific Ocean. The missile fell 3,200 kilometers east of Iwate Prefecture. The Hwasong-12's flight over Japanese territory activated the nationwide J-Alert warning system. High-speed trains were stopped in the north of the country, and residents went to bomb shelters.

Note that the Hwasong-12 is a relatively new North Korean ballistic missile. It was unveiled in 2017. The DPRK developed the missile as part of a plan to strike U.S. military bases on the island of Guam.

Source: NHK