- As Australia plans to deploy more troops in Afghanistan
North Korea has fired a short-range ballistic missile, the third apparently successful test in as many weeks.
The Scud flew about 450km (280 miles) before landing in Japanese waters, prompting Japan to lodge a protest.
Observers say the tests indicate the North is making progress towards missiles capable of carrying warheads.
The North has repeatedly defied a UN resolution banning all nuclear and missile activity, and has ramped up its tests in recent months.
The US Pacific Command said the missile was launched from Wonsan in North Korea and flew for about six minutes before landing.
Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters that the missile landed in an area between Japan’s Sado and Oki islands, in their exclusive economic zone.
A spokesman for South Korea’s military said the missile reached an altitude of 120km, and “an analysis is under way on the specific number” of missiles fired, indicating that more than one could have been launched.
The launch comes a day after North Korea’s state media reported the test of a new anti-aircraft weapon system, and released pictures of leader Kim Jong-un watching the test.
North Korea has a large stockpile of short-range Scud missiles developed by the Soviet Union. Modified versions of the Scud missiles can have a range of 1,000km.
The previous two launches were of medium to long range missiles, both of which the North claimed as “successful” tests.
The first of those launches was hailed by Pyongyang as a new type of rocket capable of carrying a nuclear warhead – it was a demonstration of the North’s longest-range nuclear-capable weapon yet.
Pyongyang has been testing its missiles at an unprecedented pace and experts believe it is steadily edging towards the test of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting the mainland United States.
North Korea says its weapons programme is necessary to counter US aggression.
In the meantime, Australia will deploy more troops in Afghanistan to conduct advisory and training missions to the Afghan security forces following a request from NATO, Defence Minister Marise Payne said on Monday.
“Given the centrality of Afghanistan in the global fight against terrorism, an enhanced Australian contribution to the resolute support mission is both timely and appropriate,” Payne told the Senate.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said his government was open to the possibility of sending more troops to Afghanistan in response to a request made by NATO during his trip to the Middle East, Efe news reported.
According to the announcement on Monday, Australian authorities have confirmed the commitment to send an additional 30 troops to Afghanistan without specifying the date of deployment.
Australia has so far deployed 270 members of its Armed Forces in Afghanistan, with some 780 in Iraq and Syria, where they are assigned to provide assistance and training and to collaborate in aerial strikes, respectively.
Australia is currently conducting military training of the local army in Afghanistan, where the country deployed up to 1,500 soldiers for operations between 2001 and 2014, which was considered the largest military contribution of a country outside the Atlantic Alliance.
BBC with additional report from Zee
