Seoul, South Korea — North Korea tested two ballistic missiles on Monday, South Korea's military said, a day after it vowed an “aggressive and forceful” response to new US military exercises with South Korea and Japan.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were launched at 10-minute intervals in a northeasterly direction from the city of Jungyon in southeastern North Korea.
It said the first missile flew 600 kilometers (370 miles) and the second 120 kilometers (75 miles), but did not say where they fell. North Korea usually tests missiles toward its eastern waters, but the second missile's flight distance was too short to reach those waters.
South Korean media said an unnamed South Korean military source said it was very likely the second missile fell inside North Korea. Possible casualties on North Korean soil were not immediately reported.
Reports said the first missile fell in waters off the eastern North Korean city of Chongjin.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, while not commenting on the media reports, said South Korea, together with its military alliance with the United States, is fully prepared to respond to any provocative action by North Korea.
The launch took place two days later. South Korea, the US and Japan conclude their new multi-regional trilateral exercise in the region. In recent years, the three countries have been expanding their trilateral security partnership to better deal with the emerging nuclear threats from North Korea and China's growing assertiveness in the region.
The “Freedom's Edge” drill was intended to increase the sophistication of previous exercises, as well as air and naval exercises to improve joint ballistic-missile defense, anti-submarine warfare, surveillance and other skills and capabilities. The three-day drill involved a US aircraft carrier as well as destroyers, fighter jets and helicopters from the three countries.
On Sunday, North Korea's Foreign Ministry issued a lengthy statement strongly condemning the “Freedom Edge” drills and calling the US-South Korea-Japan partnership an Asian version of NATO. It said the drills blatantly destroyed the security environment on the Korean Peninsula and implied the US' intention to encircle China and pressure Russia.
The statement said North Korea would “resolutely safeguard the sovereignty, security and state interests and peace in the region through aggressive and forceful countermeasures.”
Monday's launch was North Korea's first weapons test in five days. The North's launch on Wednesday was what it called “a powerful weapon.” a multi-barrel missile In the first known launch of the advanced weapon, developed to destroy U.S. and South Korean missile defense systems. North Korea said the launch was successful, but South Korea called the North's claim a hoax to hide a failed launch.
North Korea has carried out several terrorist attacks in recent weeks. trash balloons This attack against South Korea is in response to South Korean activists sending political leaflets through their balloons. Last month, North Korea and Russia also carried out an air attack against South Korea. Agreement promising mutual defense assistance If either is attacked, it is a major defense pact, raising concerns it could embolden Kim to launch further provocative attacks against South Korea.
Meanwhile, North Korea began a crucial ruling party meeting on Friday to decide on “important, urgent issues” related to the task of further advancing Korean-style socialism.
