Missile launches from Pyongyang airport endanger aircraft and nearby residents

News

Missile launches from Pyongyang airport endanger aircraft and nearby residents

Debris on runways can cause significant plane damage, discouraging airlines from flying there in future

Chad O'Carroll March 17, 2022

Missile launches from Pyongyang airport endanger aircraft and nearby residents

Kim Jong Un watches a Hwasong-12 missile test from a desk on an airport runway | Image: Rodong Sinmun (Sept. 16, 2017)

Debris from North Korean missile launches at Pyongyang’s Sunan International Airport pose risks to aircraft there, a retired pilot told NK News, and could increase airlines’ reluctance to fly there in the future.

North Korea conducted a missile test from the Sunan area on Wednesday, with a photo seen by NK News showing it experienced what one expert called “catastrophic failure” shortly after launch. It was the third missile test from the airport area in 2022, adding to three other launches from or near the runway in 2017.

About the Author

Chad O'Carroll

Chad O'Carroll is the founder of NK News/NK Pro and related holding company Korea Risk Group. In addition to being the group's CEO, O'Carroll is a frequent writer and commentator about the Koreas, having written about the two nations since 2010. He has visited the DPRK multiple times, worked and lived in Washington, D.C. with a focus on peninsula issues, and lived in the ROK since 2016.

View more articles by Chad O'Carroll EMAIL Twitter Got a news tip?Let us know!