South Korea tries to respond to North with own launch but sparks panic as missile test fails

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said that it was investigating what caused ‘abnormal flight’ of missile

South Korea has issued an apology after one of four ballistic missiles – fired in a supposed show of strength towards North Korea – malfunctioned late on Tuesday, blowing up and raining debris down on the coastal city of Gangneung.

North Korea had conducted its own successful test launch earlier in the day, an intermediate ballistic missile that was fired directly over one of Japan’s main islands for the first time since 2017.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said that it was investigating what caused the “abnormal flight” of its missile, which comes amid major joint live-fire drills with the US military.

No injuries have been reported from the explosion caused by the crash of the short-range Hyumoo-2 missile. The blast site was inside an air force base, and did not affect any civilian facilities, homes or infrastructure, military officials said.

But videos on social media showed nearby residents panicking as a massive blaze was seen in the near distance, with the explosion all the more alarming given the rising tensions between the two Korean nations and North Korea’s increasingly bold manoeuvres.

Additionally, no explanation was given by the South Korean government and military officials for hours after the failed missile test, triggering alarm among locals that an attack by North Korea could be taking place.

The explosion was first reported by witnesses at around 1am on Wednesday (4pm GMT Tuesday).

The projectile fired by Pyongyang on Tuesday, North Korea’s fifth missile launch in a week, flew over Japan and came down in the Pacific ocean. It is believed to be North Korea’s longest-range test launch ever, confirming Kim Jong-un has the ability to strike the US territory of Guam.

South Korea’s own botched missile launch in response was criticised both domestically and by regional leaders, who criticised a lack of transparency and notice from the government, which had already been tight-lipped with the media on the joint drills with the US.

The “weapons system operated by our blood-like taxpayer money ended up threatening our own people,” said Kwon Seong-dong, a ruling party lawmaker representing Gangneung.

He also called for the military to thoroughly investigate the missile failure.

“It was an irresponsible response. They don’t even have an official press release yet,” Mr Kwon wrote in the early hours of Wednesday in a Facebook post.

Shortly after the failed missile launch left a giant orange ball of flames in Gangneung, the authorities at the local fire department and city rushed emergency workers to the air force base and a nearby army base.

However, they were sent back by military officials.

The US and South Korean militaries are carrying out joint military drills, and each fired two Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles directed at targets in the sea.

Both the militaries also conducted bombing runs by F-15 strike jets using precision munitions.

North Korea has fired nearly 40 ballistic missiles over about 20 different launch events this year, ramping up regional tensions in the Korean peninsula.

The United States, Britain, France, Albania, Norway and Ireland called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council over the latest North Korean launch, which will take place 3pm on Wednesday in New York.