The Washington Free Beacon concludes that the undated footage from KCNA is from this test.^[20]

The other report points out that footage from KCNA was manipulated to exaggerate current progress in the Pukguksong-1, that this launch is done by a submersible barge, not a Sinpo-class submarine, and that the missile did not fly far. ^[21]

South Korean officials later stated it was an "ejection test" to evaluate ejecting a submerged ballistic missile, rather than a full test of a new missile system,^[23][24] and that the test missile seemed to have been launched from a submerged barge rather than a submarine.^[25]

However, U.S. and South Korean officials pointed out that the missile was fired from an underwater barge rather than a submarine, and that it flew only 100 meters above the water.^[27][28]

Sources further claimed that the cover of the capsule where the missile was placed has been found (By the South Korea authorities)^[29]

Within a month, satellite photos of a shipyard at the east coast site of Sinpo suggested that the submarine used in the test remains seaworthy and that development and testing activity of the SLBM may continue. The imagery also showed construction of facilities that could accommodate the building of larger submarines.^[30]

Further analysis of the published video suggested that while the missile was successfully ejected from the launch tube, it exploded upon ignition.^[31]

North Korea released footage of the launch in January 2016, which South Korea claimed was manipulated to show a successful test that didn't occur.^[32]

This test was from a submerged barge, likely so as not to risk damaging the launch submarine again. Video showed the 10-ton missile firing directly vertical out of the water, unlike the first test that emerged at a distinct angle. The first stage of the engine ignited, but the rest of the footage was inconsistently spliced to give the appearance of continued flight.^[33]

The missile range fell short of the expected 300 km range as SLBM minimum. Worldwide media have quickly reported on this new development.^{[34][35][36][37]}

North Korea media claimed success, citing the fact that "the missile was launched from its maximum underwater depth and that its "cold launch" ejection mechanism and high performance engine using solid fuel worked without a hitch, along with its flight controls and warhead release systems."^[38]

South Korea military sources reckoned that North Korea is trying to build a new 3,000 ton submarine capable of arming 3 such missiles.^[39] The same source also claims that the current Sinpo-class submarine can only launch at about 10 to 15 meters below water's surface,^[39] which is much shallower than other, bigger submarines that can launch at around 50 meters and therefore that the Sinpo-class submarines will face higher risk of detection by anti-submarine forces.^[39] The United States sources did not make any acknowledgement of or denies this report's credibility.

The U.S. Strategic Command concluded that the missile from this test fell onto the Sea of Japan. ^[41]

North Korea is likely to use this test as a way to protest against the United States for 2 decisions made within the previous day.

The 2 decisions by the United States, on 8 July 2016, are:

• 1) Imposition of additional sanctions against the nation's leader Kim Jong Un for alleged human rights abuse.^[42]
• 2) The decision to install THAAD in South Korea despite strong objections from China and Russia.^[43]

However, North Korea was silent about the test.

A report noted that this launch comes the same day as foreign ministers of China, Japan and South Korea are scheduled to meet in Tokyo and also two days after arch-rival South Korea and the United States began Ulchi-Freedom Guardian exercise in the South.^[45]

As a sidenote, North Korea routinely condemns the biannual military exercises (specifically the annual Ulchi-Freedom Guardian military exercise held every August and the Foal Eagle / Key Resolve joint military exercise held every February to April) as a preparation for invasion and has threatened retaliation.^[45]

The experts acknowledged that North Korea's repeated tests shows considerable progress that has raised the possibility of a missile launched in lofted trajectory.^[45] The South Korea military later confirmed the launch was indeed in lofted trajectory, without specifying exact apogee, unlike the recent Musudan success flight test..^[46]

The report stated that United States and South Korea military were initially trying to determine whether the missile was a Rodong-1 or a modified Musudan missile, with some analysis by Jeffrey Lewis of the Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies suggesting this test be treated as North Korean's test of an ICBM first stage.^[47]

However, North Korea announced less than a day later that this is a successful land-based variant, named Pukguksong-2, a new Korean's nuclear capable strategic weapon that uses high-angle trajectory with due consideration of the safety of neighboring countries.^[1]

KCNA also announced that this test is the upgraded, extended-range version of its submarine-launched ballistic missile (see above), which also uses a solid fuel engine, that this allows them to verify a "feature of evading interception," and that this represents "the mobility and operation of the new type missile launching truck".^[1]

Military sources from South Korea note that this missile reached an altitude of 550 km (340 miles) and flew a distance of about 500 km, landing off its east coast, towards Japan.

Kim Jong Un recently announced during his New Year's that his country is in the final stages of testing its ICBM.^[48]

This launch occurred during a state visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the golf resort of President Trump in Florida and also the first missile test under Trump's administration. The two heads of state presented a united front in response. At the White House on Friday, Shinzo Abe called the test absolutely intolerable and said that Trump 'assured me the United States will always stand with Japan 100 percent.' Donald Trump did not mentioned South Korea at all.