hankyoreh

South Korea's Defense Ministry confirmed Wednesday it had detected six North Korean missile launches, reversing from its earlier report of 10 tests.

But some military sources raised the possibility that North Korea might have test-fired up to six short- and medium-range guided missiles along with the six ballistic missiles.

"North Korea test-fired a total of six missiles, including one Taepodong-2, Scuds and Rodongs. All of them were fired from missile bases on the east coast," Kwon An-do, assistant defense minister for policy, said in a press conference.

South Korea has received and is receiving real-time information on North Korean missile launches from the United States, Kwon said, noting that the militaries of South Korea and the U.S. started a combined forces system of crisis management.

The South Korean government has also obtained the timeline of the six missile launches, but Kwon declined to reveal the information, citing the need for coordination with other government authorities and the U.S.

"We are still trying to determine the cause of the failed test-firing of a Tapodong-2 missile about 40 seconds after the launch," Kwon told reporters.

The Taepodong-2 missile was launched from a North Korean missile base at about 5 a.m. but disappeared from South Korean and U.S. radar screes after about 40 seconds, raising the possibility that it exploded in midair or fell into the East Sea due to technical failure.

"Given North Korea's missile capabilities, it is hard to understand why the missile fell only 40 seconds after the launch.

It might have been an intentional failure because North Korea just tried to show the world it can launch ballistic missiles anytime," a missile expert at the Defense Ministry said, asking to remain anonymous.

However, if North Korea really failed to test the Tapodong-2 missile as intended, it would deal a setback to the missile development, according to the expert.

"If that's the case, it demonstrates North Korea's limits in missile technology despite its repeated tests on engine improvement aimed at lengthening firing range," the official said.

Earlier in the day, a senior South Korean military intelligence source said North Korea test-fired a total of 10 short-, medium- and long-range missiles. Some sources argued they could number as many as 12.

In a press conference, however, Suh Choo-suk, senior presidential secretary for security policy, said North Korea launched a total of six missiles between 3:32 a.m. and 5 a.m. toward the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

"North Korea fired six missiles, including its long-range Taepodong-2 missile, from two separate launching sites on its east coastal provinces of North Hamkyong and Kangwon. But the Taepodong-2 missile ended in failure," Suh said.

Seoul, July 5 (Yonhap News)