North Korean missile captures photographs from space

New photos from space have emerged, this time taken from a North Korean missile

The photographs were captured during the country’s most powerful missile launch in five years, picturing the Korean peninsula and the surrounding areas.

Pyongyang has confirmed the weapon tested was a Hwasong-12 intermediate range ballistic missile.

The projectile has the potential to travel thousands of miles and is even capable of reaching areas including US territory Guam.

This marks the seventh missile launch in the past month, a record for the country, which is concerning the international community.

The US, South Korea, Japan and other nations strongly condemned this activity as North Korea attempts to use launches of weapons capable of reaching US territories to pressure the Biden administration into restarting nuclear talks.

“The United States condemns these actions and calls on [North Korea] to refrain from further destabilising acts,”

the US military’s Indo-Pacific command says. 

Sunday’s launch appears to be part of a push by the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, to secure sanctions relief and international recognition of its status as a legitimate nuclear power.

Even though the UN prohibits North Korea from ballistic and nuclear weapons tests and imposes strict sanctions, the state frequently defies the ban.

While the Winter Olympics are being held in China, observers believe the North could pause missile tests – but warn that it could launch more powerful weapons when the Beijing Games finish.

Written by Savannah Pocock