Seoul: North Korea South Korean and Japanese officials fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters on Saturday, making it the North’s fourth round of weapons this week, seen as a reaction to military exercises between its rivals.
South Korea’s military said it learned that two North Korean missiles were launched on Saturday morning about 18 minutes from the North’s capital region. Japan’s defense ministry said it also watched the launches.
“The repeated ballistic missile firing by North Korea is a serious provocation that undermines peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and the international community,” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.
It said South Korea strongly condemned the launches and urged North Korea to stop testing ballistic missiles.
toshiro inoJapan’s deputy defense minister called the launches “absolutely unacceptable”. He said North Korea’s four rounds of missile tests a week were “unprecedented”.
According to South Korean and Japanese estimates, the North Korean missiles flew approximately 350–400 kilometers (220–250 mi) at a maximum altitude of 30–50 kilometers (20–30 mi) before landing in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and the Korean Peninsula. It was full Japan.
Japanese Deputy Minister Ino said the missiles showed an “irregular” trajectory. Five other ballistic missiles fired by North Korea on three occasions this week show a similarly low trajectory.
Some experts say the weapon is a nuclear-capable, highly maneuverable missile modeled after Russia’s Iskander missile. That Iskander-like missile is capable of hitting strategic targets, including US military bases in South Korea.
Saturday’s launch came a day after South Korea, Japan and United States of america It conducted its first trilateral anti-submarine exercise in five years off the east coast of the Korean peninsula. Earlier this week, South Korean and US warships conducted bilateral exercises in the region for four days. Nuclear-powered aircraft carriers were involved in both military exercises this week USS Ronald Reagan and his battle group.
North Korea sees such military exercises as an offensive rehearsal among its rivals and often responds with weapons tests of its own.
North Korea’s missile tests this week also took place before and after the US Vice President Kamala Harris Visited South Korea on Thursday and reaffirmed America’s commitment to the security of its Asian allies.
This year, North Korea has conducted a record number of missile tests, which experts call an attempt to expand its weapons arsenal amid stalled nuclear diplomacy with the United States. The weapons tested this year include nuclear-capable missiles with the potential to reach the US mainland, South Korea and Japan.
South Korean and US officials say North Korea has also completed preparations to conduct a nuclear test, its first in five years.
Experts say North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wants to eventually use the increased nuclear arsenal to pressure the United States and others to recognize his country as a legitimate nuclear state, a recognition he believes in. Deems necessary to lift international sanctions and other concessions.
Several UN Security Council resolutions have banned North Korea from testing ballistic missiles and nuclear equipment. The country’s missile launch this year is being seen as taking advantage of divisions in the United Nations Council over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and US-China rivalries.
In May, China and Russia vetoed a US-led effort to tighten sanctions on North Korea over its ballistic missile launches.
“North Korea’s frequent short-range missile tests could strain the resources of the isolated state. But because of the standoff at the United Nations Security Council, they are calling for the Kim regime to signal their displeasure with Washington and Seoul’s defense exercises. There is a low-cost way for domestic politics to counter external threats,” said Professor Leif-Eric Easley of Iwa University in Seoul.
South Korea’s military said it learned that two North Korean missiles were launched on Saturday morning about 18 minutes from the North’s capital region. Japan’s defense ministry said it also watched the launches.
“The repeated ballistic missile firing by North Korea is a serious provocation that undermines peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and the international community,” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.
It said South Korea strongly condemned the launches and urged North Korea to stop testing ballistic missiles.
toshiro inoJapan’s deputy defense minister called the launches “absolutely unacceptable”. He said North Korea’s four rounds of missile tests a week were “unprecedented”.
According to South Korean and Japanese estimates, the North Korean missiles flew approximately 350–400 kilometers (220–250 mi) at a maximum altitude of 30–50 kilometers (20–30 mi) before landing in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and the Korean Peninsula. It was full Japan.
Japanese Deputy Minister Ino said the missiles showed an “irregular” trajectory. Five other ballistic missiles fired by North Korea on three occasions this week show a similarly low trajectory.
Some experts say the weapon is a nuclear-capable, highly maneuverable missile modeled after Russia’s Iskander missile. That Iskander-like missile is capable of hitting strategic targets, including US military bases in South Korea.
Saturday’s launch came a day after South Korea, Japan and United States of america It conducted its first trilateral anti-submarine exercise in five years off the east coast of the Korean peninsula. Earlier this week, South Korean and US warships conducted bilateral exercises in the region for four days. Nuclear-powered aircraft carriers were involved in both military exercises this week USS Ronald Reagan and his battle group.
North Korea sees such military exercises as an offensive rehearsal among its rivals and often responds with weapons tests of its own.
North Korea’s missile tests this week also took place before and after the US Vice President Kamala Harris Visited South Korea on Thursday and reaffirmed America’s commitment to the security of its Asian allies.
This year, North Korea has conducted a record number of missile tests, which experts call an attempt to expand its weapons arsenal amid stalled nuclear diplomacy with the United States. The weapons tested this year include nuclear-capable missiles with the potential to reach the US mainland, South Korea and Japan.
South Korean and US officials say North Korea has also completed preparations to conduct a nuclear test, its first in five years.
Experts say North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wants to eventually use the increased nuclear arsenal to pressure the United States and others to recognize his country as a legitimate nuclear state, a recognition he believes in. Deems necessary to lift international sanctions and other concessions.
Several UN Security Council resolutions have banned North Korea from testing ballistic missiles and nuclear equipment. The country’s missile launch this year is being seen as taking advantage of divisions in the United Nations Council over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and US-China rivalries.
In May, China and Russia vetoed a US-led effort to tighten sanctions on North Korea over its ballistic missile launches.
“North Korea’s frequent short-range missile tests could strain the resources of the isolated state. But because of the standoff at the United Nations Security Council, they are calling for the Kim regime to signal their displeasure with Washington and Seoul’s defense exercises. There is a low-cost way for domestic politics to counter external threats,” said Professor Leif-Eric Easley of Iwa University in Seoul.