North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles off Korean Peninsula
North Korea has launched several short-range ballistic missiles into the sea east of the Korean Peninsula, just days after Kim Jong-un declared his intention to fully prepare the nation’s nuclear arsenal for potential battle with its rivals.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported on Thursday that they detected the missiles fired from Pyongyang flying 360 kilometers (about 220 miles) before plunging into the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.
The report added that Seoul was analyzing the details of the launch and actively sharing information regarding the North Korean ballistic missile with the United States and Japanese officials, while enhancing surveillance and readiness for potential additional launches.
Japan’s Defense Ministry also confirmed the launch of at least one suspected North Korean ballistic missile, with the coastguard warning vessels to take care.
Following a two-month hiatus, North Korea marked its return to missile activity on Thursday, conducting launches that came after its July 1 test of two tactical Hwasong-11 ballistic missiles, which the country said were capable of delivering 4.5 ton-class “super-large warheads.”
The latest launch came days after the North Korean leader in a speech, marking his government’s 76th foundation anniversary, said he would redouble efforts to make his nuclear force fully ready for combat with the United States and its allies.
North Korea “will steadily strengthen its nuclear force capable of fully coping with any threatening acts imposed by its nuclear-armed rival states”, Kim said.
He asserted that North Korea is confronted with “a grave threat” due to what he described as “the reckless expansion” of a military alliance led by the United States in the region.
This is while Seoul and Washington held their first tabletop simulation of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) last week.
North Korea’s foreign ministry in a statement expressed serious concern and bitterly denounced the drills, saying they are disturbing regional strategic stability and increasing the possibility of a nuclear clash, Yonhap news agency reported, quoting Korean Central News Agency.
Pyongyang, which has been under harsh sanctions by the United States and the United Nations Security Council for years over its nuclear and ballistic-missile programs, says such military maneuvers amount to a rehearsal for invasion.
Kim has repeatedly said that Pyongyang is strengthening its armed forces to confront the US and its regional allies in a war that could “break out at any time” on the Korean Peninsula.
