North Korea has launched several unidentified ground-based projectiles, assumed to be surface-to-ship missiles, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff announced.
“North Korea fired multiple unidentified projectiles, assumed to be surface-to-ship missiles, this morning from the vicinity of Wonsan, Gangwon Province,” the JCS statement said, according to the Yonhap news agency.
South Korea's military added that the missiles flew about 200 kilometers (124 miles).
The JCS is “maintaining full preparedness” and has “beefed up surveillance and vigilance against the possibility of additional provocations.” President Moon Jae-in was immediately notified of the launch, the statement added.
The last time North Korea conducted a missile launch was on May 29, when it fired at least one short-range ballistic missile. The projectile, believed to be a Scud-class missile, flew around 450 kilometers before landing in the Sea of Japan, some 300 km off the Japanese islands.
On Wednesday, the head of the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) told Congress that Pyongyang’s ballistic missile tests in the last six months have become cause for concern to the US and its allies in the region.
“It is incumbent on us to assume that North Korea today can range the United States with an ICBM carrying a nuclear warhead,” Vice-Admiral James Syring, director of the MDA, told the House Armed Services Committee.
Syring however assured US lawmakers that America has the ability to defend itself against the North Korean threat, citing the successful test of the GMD interceptor. He also stated that the US plans to conduct another GMD test towards the end of 2018.
The Vice-Admiral also told Congress that the MDA plans to deliver 36 more Standard Missile (SM-3) interceptors to the US Navy for use on Aegis cruisers and the land-based missile defense site in Romania. Another 52 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors will be delivered to the US Army.
In defiance of UN resolutions, North Korea has conducted dozens of missile tests and tested two nuclear bombs since the beginning of 2016. In response, the US has increased its military power in the region and introduced additional sanctions against Pyongyang. Washington has also been pressuring China to play a more constructive role in curbing Pyongyang's missile and nuclear programs.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, "North Korea fired multiple unidentified projectiles, assumed to be surface-to-ship missiles, this morning from the vicinity of Wonsan, Gangwon Province."
The South Korean military reports that the projectiles, later described as short-range surface-to-ship cruise missiles, traveled around 200 kilometers, and that South Korean President Moon Jae-In has been notified.
This development comes hours after US Missile Defense Agency head Vice Admiral James Syring told a House Armed Services Committee meeting that the progress Pyongyang is making in its missile capabilities is a cause for "great concern" and that the US should assume it is within range of a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
This is North Korea's 10th missile test this year and its fifth since Moon, who has repeatedly expressed a desire to dial back tensions between the neighboring states, took office.
North Korea has continued its ballistic missile and nuclear weapon development program despite sanctions from the UN Security Council and international calls to cease its activities. Less than a week ago, the UN expanded its sanctions against the country after a unanimous vote by the Security Council.
The US, a frequent target of North Korean rhetoric, recently tested its ground-based missile defense system to hone its defense capabilities against intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The system, which has a checkered record, was deemed successful by the Pentagon in its most recent tests.
In April, PJ Media warned of an imminent threat to the U.S. from North Korea – an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack from an orbiting satellite. We reported that North Korea already has two satellites orbiting the U.S. and that a nuclear weapon detonated over the U.S. from one could devastate our country, resulting in the deaths of tens of millions from the loss of critical infrastructure.
Shortly after our warning, the respected North Korea analysis site 38North published an article titled “A North Korean Nuclear EMP Attack? … Unlikely.” The author, relying on an incomplete and dated report, thought that North Korea would need a hydrogen bomb (thermonuclear weapon) in order to be a threat.
Now, 38North has a new piece on the topic -- “North Korea Nuclear EMP Attack: An Existential Threat.” The author is the former head of the congressional EMP Commission and is a foremost expert on EMP. This article adds to the PJ Media report by confirming that the yield of nuclear weapons already tested by North Korea is sufficient to be devastating. It refutes the prior article:
Thus, even if North Korea only has primitive, low-yield nuclear weapons, and if other states or terrorists acquire one or a few such weapons as well as the capability to detonate them at an altitude of 30 kilometers or higher over the United States. … the EMP Commission warned over a decade ago in its 2004 Report, “the damage level could be sufficient to be catastrophic to the Nation, and our current vulnerability invites attack."
Nuclear EMP from a high-altitude detonation – H-EMP E-1 pulse – is caused when a massive flux of gamma rays strikes the upper levels of the atmosphere. These strip off and accelerate electrons, creating a sudden powerful electromagnetic pulse, which travels to the surface and destroys electronics and can damage power transmission equipment. The result would be a months-long loss of the electrical grid, transportation, computers and communication systems, causing a rapid breakdown of our transportation, food, water and healthcare delivery systems.
"In 2004, two Russian generals, both EMP experts, warned the EMP Commission that the design for Russia’s super-EMP warhead, capable of generating high intensity EMP fields of 200,000 volts per meter, was 'accidentally' transferred to North Korea….’
As we stated in April, the threat is real. It could happen at any time. We are not ready.
The estimated 832 deaths and 912 injuries from the estimated 60 attacks that have taken place across about 19 countries during the first 12 days of this year’s holy Muslim month of Ramadan have already marked the bloodiest Ramadan in recent years for adherents of Islam.
Jihadists believe martyrdom is doubly rewarded in paradise during Ramadan. Jihadist groups encourage martyrdom among their sympathizers and followers, promoting the belief that they will be doubly rewarded if they fatally castigate infidels during Ramadan. The holy month this year is on track to surpass the deadliest and bloodiest Ramadan in the modern record: Ramadan 2016.
Ramadan 2016 featured 1,150 casualties — both death and injuries. This year, terrorists – namely the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), Taliban, and al-Qaeda, among other jihadists – have already killed or wounded more than 1,500 people across about 15 countries and there are still about 20 days left in the month.
If all of the deaths from the ongoing conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan had been included, the total number would be much higher. The Religion of Peace website acknowledges their estimate is an undercount, so the number of Ramadan deaths and injuries could be higher.
Some of the terrorist attacks during Ramadan 2017 include:
May 27 — Charchino, Afghanistan — Group fighting in favor of imposing Islamic law ambushes checkpoint, kills 11.
May 27 — Qadis, Afghanistan — Taliban kills 14, injures 17.
May 27 — Khost, Afghanistan — Taliban suicide bomber targets U.S-backed National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), which includes army and police units, killing 18, woundin six others, including children.
May 27 — Kacha Khuh, Pakistan — “Honor Killing” — Brother hacks 18-year-old sister with axe to death for denying to abide by pre-arrange marriage.
May 27 — Marawi, Philippines — Jihadists kill 19 including women and a child.
May 28 — Marawi, Philippines — Jihadists murder 8 for “having betrayed their faith.”
May 28 — Ramo Adey, Somalia — Jihadists bury man to his neck, stone to death for adultery
May 28 — Mosul, Iraq — ISIS sets hospital ablaze and kills a dozen young people inside.
May 28 — Mosul, Iraq — ISIS kills at least 40 women and children trying to flee besieged city.
May 28 — Shirqat, Iraq — ISIS rocket attack kills three children and their parents.
May 28 — Gumsri, Nigeria — Boko Haram kills at least seven villagers.
May 28 — Shakhil Abad, Afghanistan — Islamic extremists kill district governor and his son inside their home.
May 28 — Baqubah, Iraq — Suicide bomber kills 3, injures up to 16 others outside court.
May 29 — Nguro, Nigeria — Boko Haram beheads five people.
May 29 — Ghat, Libya, — Suspected Islamic terrorists kill 1, injure 4.
May 29 — Shirqat, Iraq — Islamic shrapnel dismembers a child, injures 7.
May 29 — Baghdad, Iraq — 17 killed, 32 wounded — ISIS launches suicide attack against ice cream parlor frequented by families who were breaking their Ramadan fast.
May 29 — Baghdad, Iraq — 14 killed, 37 injured. ISIS attacked Shiites.
May 30 — Mattani, Pakistan — Islamist gun down four peace committee members.
May 30 — Peshawar, Pakistan — Suspected jihadist shoots leader of Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hezb-i-Islami group while he was leaving a mosque.
May 30 — Shifa, Iraq — Mass grave found with 60 ISIS torture victims, including women, elderly.
May 30 — al-Joura, Syria — ISIS mortar kills 14, including children.
May 30 — Bay Hassan, Iraq — ISIS kills 3 Iraqi guards, wounds six others.
May 30 — Baghdad, Iraq — Jihadists kill 7, injure 19 in a blast.
May 30 — Baqubah, Iraq — A bomb explosion at mosque kills 7, wounds 6.
May 30 — Hit, Iraq — Fedayeen suicide bomber kills 8, injures 10.
May 31 — Kaya, Nigeria —Boko Haram kills 14.
May 31 — Fafi, Kenya — Suspected al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab burns down school, kills one teacher.
May 31 — Bab el-Beid, Iraq — Suicide bombers kill 3 civilians, including a child.
May 31 — Hit, Iraq — Shahid suicide bomber kills 3, injures 7.
May 31 — Mosul, Iraq — ISIS kills 34 for trying to leave the city.
May 31 — Mangai, Kenya — al-Qaeda-linked bombers kill 8.
May 31 — Kabul, Afghanistan — Suspected Haqqani Network kills at least 150, Wounds more than 460, including 11 Americans.
May 31 — Sinjar, Iraq — ISIS kills 2, injures 2.
June 01 — Abala, Niger — Jihadists kill 6 guards.
June 01 — Al-Hazm, Yemen — Terrorists kill 6, wound 15.
June 01 — Behsud, Afghanistan — Suicide bomber kills 1, wounds 4.
June 01 — Oldenburg, Germany — Muslim kills one for smoking during Ramadan and refusing to fast.
June 01 — Zanjili, Iraq — ISIS kills 7 for trying to flee caliphate.
June 02 — Kolofota, Cameroon — Islamist use two girls as suicide bombers killing 9 and wounding 30.
June 02 — Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia — Jihadist beheads one man.
June 03 — Marawi, Philippines — Islamic sniper kills 70-year-old man.
June 03 — Halabsah, Iraq — Four suicide bombers kill 1, injure 3
June 03 — London, England — Three Jihadists plow into pedestrians, then stab people, killing 7, injuring 48.
June 03 — Zanjili, Iraq — ISIS kills 43 for trying to flee caliphate.
June 03 — Lower Munda, India — Hizb-ul-Mujahideen kill 2 security troops, injure 4
June 03 — Nawabshah, Pakistan — Alleged victim’s brother-in-law kills two people for alleged adultery.
June 03 — Kabul, Afghanistan — Suicide bombers kill 20, injure 87
June 04 — Kandahar, Afghanistan — Afghan police insider attack leaves six dead, one injured
June 04 — Spini, Pakistan — Two Shiites from Hazara minority group killed.
June 04 — Talibul, Moula, Pakistan — “Honor Killing” — Father kills 18-year-old daughter for allegedly “having an affair.”
June 04 — Zanjili, Iraq — Wave of suicide bombers kills 32, injures 24.
June 04 — Quaidabad, Pakistan — Jihadis kill 1 barber.
June 05 — Melbourne, Australia — ISIS-linked migrant from Somalia kills man, takes prostitute hostage, an injures 4.
June 05 — Baghdad, Iraq — Terrorist mortar fired into family home dismembers 10-year-old boy, injures 4.
June 06 — Lower Munda, India — Hizb-ul-Mujahideen kill 2 security troops, injure 4
June 06 — Paris, France — Jihadist wounds cop with a hammer outside Notre Dame cathedral.
June 06 — Herat, Afghanistan — Terrorist kill 7, injure another 16 near the northern gate of the Great Mosque of Herat.
June 06 — Garissa, Kenya — Suspected al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab jihadists kill 4 aid workers with land mine.
June 07 — Mosul, Iraq — Islamic State massacres 160 civilians trying to flee city, according to United Nations.
June 07 — Tehran, Iran — Sunni ISIS gunmen, suicide bombers attack Shiite country’s parliament and shrine to its revolutionary leader, kills 12, wounding up to 42.
May 27 — Qadis, Afghanistan — Taliban kills 14, injures 17.
May 27 — Khost, Afghanistan — Taliban suicide bomber targets U.S-backed National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), which includes army and police units, killing 18, woundin six others, including children.
May 27 — Kacha Khuh, Pakistan — “Honor Killing” — Brother hacks 18-year-old sister with axe to death for denying to abide by pre-arrange marriage.
May 27 — Marawi, Philippines — Jihadists kill 19 including women and a child.
May 28 — Marawi, Philippines — Jihadists murder 8 for “having betrayed their faith.”
May 28 — Ramo Adey, Somalia — Jihadists bury man to his neck, stone to death for adultery
May 28 — Mosul, Iraq — ISIS sets hospital ablaze and kills a dozen young people inside.
May 28 — Mosul, Iraq — ISIS kills at least 40 women and children trying to flee besieged city.
May 28 — Shirqat, Iraq — ISIS rocket attack kills three children and their parents.
May 28 — Gumsri, Nigeria — Boko Haram kills at least seven villagers.
May 28 — Shakhil Abad, Afghanistan — Islamic extremists kill district governor and his son inside their home.
May 28 — Baqubah, Iraq — Suicide bomber kills 3, injures up to 16 others outside court.
May 29 — Nguro, Nigeria — Boko Haram beheads five people.
May 29 — Ghat, Libya, — Suspected Islamic terrorists kill 1, injure 4.
May 29 — Shirqat, Iraq — Islamic shrapnel dismembers a child, injures 7.
May 29 — Baghdad, Iraq — 17 killed, 32 wounded — ISIS launches suicide attack against ice cream parlor frequented by families who were breaking their Ramadan fast.
May 29 — Baghdad, Iraq — 14 killed, 37 injured. ISIS attacked Shiites.
May 30 — Mattani, Pakistan — Islamist gun down four peace committee members.
May 30 — Peshawar, Pakistan — Suspected jihadist shoots leader of Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hezb-i-Islami group while he was leaving a mosque.
May 30 — Shifa, Iraq — Mass grave found with 60 ISIS torture victims, including women, elderly.
May 30 — al-Joura, Syria — ISIS mortar kills 14, including children.
May 30 — Bay Hassan, Iraq — ISIS kills 3 Iraqi guards, wounds six others.
May 30 — Baghdad, Iraq — Jihadists kill 7, injure 19 in a blast.
May 30 — Baqubah, Iraq — A bomb explosion at mosque kills 7, wounds 6.
May 30 — Hit, Iraq — Fedayeen suicide bomber kills 8, injures 10.
May 31 — Kaya, Nigeria —Boko Haram kills 14.
May 31 — Fafi, Kenya — Suspected al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab burns down school, kills one teacher.
May 31 — Bab el-Beid, Iraq — Suicide bombers kill 3 civilians, including a child.
May 31 — Hit, Iraq — Shahid suicide bomber kills 3, injures 7.
May 31 — Mosul, Iraq — ISIS kills 34 for trying to leave the city.
May 31 — Mangai, Kenya — al-Qaeda-linked bombers kill 8.
May 31 — Kabul, Afghanistan — Suspected Haqqani Network kills at least 150, Wounds more than 460, including 11 Americans.
May 31 — Sinjar, Iraq — ISIS kills 2, injures 2.
June 01 — Abala, Niger — Jihadists kill 6 guards.
June 01 — Al-Hazm, Yemen — Terrorists kill 6, wound 15.
June 01 — Behsud, Afghanistan — Suicide bomber kills 1, wounds 4.
June 01 — Oldenburg, Germany — Muslim kills one for smoking during Ramadan and refusing to fast.
June 01 — Zanjili, Iraq — ISIS kills 7 for trying to flee caliphate.
June 02 — Kolofota, Cameroon — Islamist use two girls as suicide bombers killing 9 and wounding 30.
June 02 — Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia — Jihadist beheads one man.
June 03 — Marawi, Philippines — Islamic sniper kills 70-year-old man.
June 03 — Halabsah, Iraq — Four suicide bombers kill 1, injure 3
June 03 — London, England — Three Jihadists plow into pedestrians, then stab people, killing 7, injuring 48.
June 03 — Zanjili, Iraq — ISIS kills 43 for trying to flee caliphate.
June 03 — Lower Munda, India — Hizb-ul-Mujahideen kill 2 security troops, injure 4
June 03 — Nawabshah, Pakistan — Alleged victim’s brother-in-law kills two people for alleged adultery.
June 03 — Kabul, Afghanistan — Suicide bombers kill 20, injure 87
June 04 — Kandahar, Afghanistan — Afghan police insider attack leaves six dead, one injured
June 04 — Spini, Pakistan — Two Shiites from Hazara minority group killed.
June 04 — Talibul, Moula, Pakistan — “Honor Killing” — Father kills 18-year-old daughter for allegedly “having an affair.”
June 04 — Zanjili, Iraq — Wave of suicide bombers kills 32, injures 24.
June 04 — Quaidabad, Pakistan — Jihadis kill 1 barber.
June 05 — Melbourne, Australia — ISIS-linked migrant from Somalia kills man, takes prostitute hostage, an injures 4.
June 05 — Baghdad, Iraq — Terrorist mortar fired into family home dismembers 10-year-old boy, injures 4.
June 06 — Lower Munda, India — Hizb-ul-Mujahideen kill 2 security troops, injure 4
June 06 — Paris, France — Jihadist wounds cop with a hammer outside Notre Dame cathedral.
June 06 — Herat, Afghanistan — Terrorist kill 7, injure another 16 near the northern gate of the Great Mosque of Herat.
June 06 — Garissa, Kenya — Suspected al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab jihadists kill 4 aid workers with land mine.
June 07 — Mosul, Iraq — Islamic State massacres 160 civilians trying to flee city, according to United Nations.
June 07 — Tehran, Iran — Sunni ISIS gunmen, suicide bombers attack Shiite country’s parliament and shrine to its revolutionary leader, kills 12, wounding up to 42.
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