North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles from its east coast within three hours on Sunday, its second round of tests in about a week. The launches follow Pyongyang's accusation that US-led military drills are driving tension on the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Sunday afternoon, then fired a second one just three hours later, South Korea's defence ministry said. If the second launch is confirmed as a ballistic missile, it marks two consecutive ballistic missile tests within a three-hour window.
Two launches from Wonsan
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff detected the first launch from the Wonsan area around 3 p.m. (0600 GMT) and identified it as a ballistic missile, while Japan's defence ministry said it appeared to be one. Japanese broadcaster NHK said the projectile came down outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.
The first missile flew approximately 450 km (280 miles) and is presumed to belong to the Hwasong-11 series, according to South Korea's military. The second, also fired from Wonsan, flew more than 600 km (373 miles) at about 5:50 p.m. (0850 GMT).
Seoul and Tokyo push back
South Korea's National Security Council condemned the launch, which follows a test on September 12, and urged Pyongyang to immediately halt missile activity, warning it directly violated UN Security Council resolutions. Japan lodged a protest through embassy channels in Beijing, according to a Nikkei report cited in the coverage.
Tensions building for weeks
On Saturday, North Korea dismissed a resolution by the UN's nuclear watchdog against its nuclear programme. Pyongyang had also condemned a US-led naval drill involving South Korea and Japan that ran from August 29 to September 10 near Guam.
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of leader Kim Jong Un, said on Friday that US-led military drills were behind, according to Reuters, "ever-worsening" tensions on the peninsula, and vowed no change in the North's course to strengthen its nuclear arsenal.
Source: Investing.com
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