North Korea launches a space missile and Japan issues a warning to the residents of Okinawa Island
The South Korean news agency, Yonhap, reported that North Korea launched a space missile in the southern direction of the country.
The agency said in a statement: "North Korea launched a projectile that it says is a 'space missile' in the southern direction."
While Japan issued a warning to the residents of Okinawa Island after North Korea launched a missile. And the South Korean authorities called on residents of the capital, Seoul, to prepare to evacuate their homes after North Korea launched the missile.
Earlier, the Japanese Coast Guard announced that Tokyo had received a notification from North Korea stating its intention to launch the first reconnaissance satellite between May 31 and June 11.
On April 19, the Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim Jong-un had ordered the start of preparations for the launch of the first reconnaissance satellite, which would increase Pyongyang's data-gathering capabilities.
Earlier, North Korea announced that it had launched its first solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-18, for the first time. It was reported that Kim Jong Un was briefed on the preparations for the launch of a reconnaissance satellite and approved the work plan of a special committee dealing with the issue.
The launch also prompted the Seoul city government to erroneously send out an emergency alert advising citizens to prepare to evacuate. Video posted to social media showed sirens blaring in the South Korean capital after the mobile phone alert was sent to all Seoul citizens at 6:41 a.m. But the country’s interior ministry retracted the alert around 20 minutes later, saying it had been sent by mistake.
Japan warned earlier against launching any missile that would harm the security and lives of its neighboring countries because of the indiscriminate firing of North Korea's missiles, which are called space missiles, but are intercontinental missiles.