No sign of North Korean missile launch: South Korea

SEOUL (AFP) Apr 01, 2003
South Korea's defense ministry denied reports Tuesday that North Korea had test-fired a missile into the Yellow Sea.

"There was no sign that North Korea test-fired a missile today," a ministry spokesman told AFP. "That's our ministry's official stance on the issue."

South Korea issued the denial some three hours after Japan said that North Korea had test-fired another anti-ship missile from its western coast earlier Tuesday. North Korea test-fired short-range anti-ship missiles on February 24 and March 10 off its east coast into the Sea of Japan.

"A missile was launched today at around 10:15 am (0115 GMT)," a Japanese defense agency spokesman said in Tokyo. "But we don't know any more details."

Japanese officials said the launch site was Hwajinri in Pyongannam province and said the missile's range was 60 kilometres (38 miles).

Yonhap news agency cited military analysts as saying North Korea may have test-fired an artillery weapon, rather than a missile.

SPACE.WIRE