Scud-Class Missile Launched by North Korea

North Korea has fired one ballistic missile of short range Monday that landed off the country’s east coast in the sea, just the latest in a series of fast-paced missile tests that defy world pressure and the threat of additional sanctions.

The missile is believed to have been a ballistic missile that was Scud-class and flew about 280 miles, said officials from neighboring South Korea and was likely developed originally by the former Soviet Union.

The launch Monday followed two tests of both medium- and long-range missile over the past two weeks by the secretive nation, which had conducted tests of this type at a pace unprecedented in its effort to develop an ICBM or intercontinental ballistic missile that is capable of hitting the U.S. mainland.

A spokesperson from the government of South Korea said that North was likely trying to show determination to push forward even though they are facing pressure internationally to rein in the missile program and is pressuring the South to change its foreign policy with the North.

The test-launch was the third since a new president in South Korea has taken office May 10 and pledged to engage in dialogue with its reclusive neighbor.

The South Korea president said that just sanctions failed to bring a solution to the increasing threat from the advancing missile and nuclear program of the North.

The missile launched on Monday reached a 75-mile high altitude.

North Korea since the start of last year has launched dozens of missile and tested a pair of nuclear bombs in defiance of resolutions from the United Nations Security Council.

North Korea claims its programs are necessary to counter aggression by the United States.

The White House administration said U.S. President Donald Trump was briefed prior to the launch of the missile. The Pacific Command of the U.S. said that it had tracked what appeared was a ballistic missile for over 6 minutes and assessed no threat was made to the U.S.

The U.S. has said it wanted to hold discussions with China about a new resolution in the UN and that Beijing, a major diplomatic ally of North Korea and its neighbor realizes that time is limited in reining in the weapons program via negotiations.

Jim Mattis the U.S. Secretary of Defense warned Sunday that a military conflict with North Korea would probably be the worst type of fighting in the majority of people’s lifetimes.