Military Kept North Korean Submarine Missile Under Wraps After Tracking It ... JCS’s Bizarre Explanation: “A ROK-U.S. Joint Secret”

[Financial News] Questions have arisen after the South Korean military failed to issue an immediate public crisis alert following North Korea’s submarine-launched cruise missile test in the East Sea on the 14th. Until then, the military had immediately informed the public every time North Korea launched various types of missiles. But it did not notify the public about North Korea’s simultaneous launch of two types of strategic cruise missiles (SLCMs) in the East Sea the previous day. The launch became known only after North Korea disclosed it itself a day later. This was the first time North Korea had launched two types of cruise missiles from a submarine. Suspicions then arose that the South Korean military might have failed to detect the launch of North Korean submarine missiles, which are difficult to detect.
Jang Do-young, public affairs director of the Republic of Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff, denied suspicions that the military had failed to detect the missiles at a regular briefing on the 15th, saying, “Our military has continuously tracked and monitored the activity of North Korean cruise missiles launched yesterday through various means, from before launch through the cruise and termination phases.” However, he could not explain why the launch of missiles from a North Korean submarine had not been announced.
Jang said, “Please understand that we do not disclose all developments related to North Korean missile launches to the media.” The Joint Chiefs of Staff, however, declined to say whether South Korean or U.S. military detection assets had picked up the North Korean submarine missiles.
Jang said, “I can’t say because that would benefit the enemy and it is a ROK-U.S. joint secret.” He also denied concerns about the impact of restrictions on intelligence-sharing between South Korea and the United States regarding North Korea.
He explained, “South Korea and the United States have closely coordinated and shared intelligence on various North Korean missile activities, and have monitored and tracked them.”
Based on the photos of the submarine missile launches released by North Korea, among other things, the Joint Chiefs of Staff is assessing that one type was launched from a vertical launch tube and the other from a torpedo tube. [email protected] Kim Gyeong-su Reporter