군 "北 사거리 두 미사일 다 600km로 정정, 9.19합의 명백한 위반 아냐"
Meanwhile, the South Korean military has releaseed more details about North Korea's recent missile launch... following the Blue House National Security Council officially verifiying them as "ballistic."
Kim Ji-yeon has more.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday... that a detailed assessment of North Korea's Thursday launch .. showed the two missiles both flew around 600 kilometers... different from its initial estimate of around 430 and 690 kilometers.
These figures are still provisional and that a final assessment will be carried out.
Based on analysis jointly conducted with the U.S... an official from the Joint Chiefs of Staff also confirmed that characteristics of the missiles were similar to Russia's Iskander-class ballistic missile system... but that it seems to be a new version... in which they're currently scrutinizing.
Normally, Iskander-class missiles have a complicated flying trajectory, making it difficult to collect data to shoot them down with anti-missile systems.
The detailed analysis was released a day apart from its initial brief.
The official said the military's continued analyses based on projectiles shot by the North in May have helped speed up the assessment for Thursday's launch.
The official refuted suspicions the military were not able to spot the recent missiles... adding the fact that they're releasing data is because it was able to detect them.
The official added the gap in its estimates were mainly due to the missiles' flight trajectory... flying in a northeasterly direction from North Korea to the East Sea... but stressed any missile flying from North Korea in a southerly direction would have been detected with no glitch.
The official also said the military is capable of detecting missiles launched using a transporter erector launcher... but said it doesn't use all of its detection equipment and assets in monitoring movements in the North.
The official also said the military is currently fully capable of intercepting the latest missile launches with the existing anti-missile system, the Patriot.
The official said the military see Thursday's missiles as a test-fire stage of missile development... and that they are not fully operational.
Seoul's defense ministry reiterated its previous stance that although missiles have been officially verified as "ballistic," it does NOT see them as a direct violation of the inter-Korean Comprehensive Military Agreement... but that they do go against the spirit of said agreement in lowering tensions on the Peninsula.
Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News.