North Korea has launched a short-range ballistic missile towards the ocean, its neighbors say, because the North ramps up testing actions in response to U.S.-South Korean navy drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal
ByHYUNG-JIN KIM Related Press
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile towards the ocean on Sunday, its neighbors stated, ramping up testing actions in response to U.S.-South Korean navy drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal.
The missile launched from the North’s northwestern area flew throughout the nation earlier than it landed within the waters off its east coast, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Workers stated in an announcement.
It stated South Korea’s navy has boosted its surveillance posture and maintains a readiness in shut coordination with the US.
Japan’s Protection Ministry stated a suspected North Korean missile was launched on Sunday morning. It stated the suspected weapon landed outdoors Japan’s unique financial zone. There have been no fast experiences of injury within the space.
The launch was the North’s third spherical of weapons exams because the U.S. and South Korean militaries started their joint navy drills final Monday.
The most recent U.S.-South Korean drills, which embrace laptop simulations and discipline workouts, are to proceed till Thursday. The sector workouts are the most important of their type since 2018.
The North views such U.S.-South Korean navy drills as a observe to launch an invasion, although Washington and Seoul have steadfastly stated their coaching is defensive in nature.
The weapons North Korea not too long ago examined embrace its longest-range Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile designed to strike the U.S. mainland. The North’s state media quoted chief Kim Jong Un as saying the ICBM launch was meant to “strike worry into the enemies.”
A day earlier than the beginning of the drills, North Korea additionally fired cruise missiles from a submarine. The North’s state media stated the submarine-launched missile was an illustration of its resolve to reply with “overwhelming highly effective” power to the intensifying navy maneuvers by “the U.S. imperialists and the South Korean puppet forces.”
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Related Press author Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo contributed to this report.