North Korea may have tested submarine-launched missile

North Korea may have tested a nuclear-capable submarine-launched missile, according to the South Korean military. North Korea fired a ballistic missile early on Saturday off Sinpo on the east coast, the general staff said. It flew towards the open sea.

The missile is believed to be a short-range submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). Whether it was actually fired from a submarine or possibly from an underwater platform remained unclear at first. South Korea's military is prepared for possible further missile launches by the neighbouring country, it said. According to observers, the use of submarines to carry ballistic missiles would represent a major step forward in North Korea's plans to expand its nuclear strike capability. - dpa