The North Koreans Nearly Took Out a Chinese Passenger Plane During a Missile Test

A China Southern Airlines jet carrying 220 passengers passed through the trajectory of a North Korean missile just seven minutes after it was fired, a South Korean official has revealed.

The plane was traveling from Tokyo to Shenyang in China’s Liaoning province Tuesday afternoon at an altitude of 10,000 meters. The missile reached a peak altitude of 20 kilometers before roaring back to earth.

“The rocket could have hit the plane on its way down. North Korea had not given any warning. It was an unexpected and immoral act that goes against international norms,” South Korean defence ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said.

North Korea began test-firing missiles on Feb. 21 and launched seven missiles Tuesday. According to Kim Min-seok, four of those missiles flew far enough to reach Seoul.

[South China Morning Post]