North Korea fired two, short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) off its east coast on Friday, South Korea’s military has said, while it has been wrapping up nearly two weeks of major drills aimed at deterring its neighbour.
Key points:
- North Korea says the launches are in protest against joint exercises by South Korean and US forces
- These were North Korea’s first ballistic weapon launches in two weeks
- The US and its allies say the North may soon resume its nuclear bomb testing
This latest launch — at a time of growing fears that North Korea is readying for its first nuclear test since 2017 — was the latest in a record year of its tests, whether of short-range missiles, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), or other weapons.
The SRBMs were fired from the Tongcheon area on North Korea’s east coast, the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, four days after the neighbours exchanged warning shots off the west coast in Korea Bay, amid rising tension.
“Our military is maintaining full readiness posture,” the JCS said in a statement, adding that it had stepped up monitoring and security while co-ordinating closely with the United States.
South Korean troops were set on Friday to finish the 12-day Hoguk 22 field exercises, which have included some drills with US troops, while South Korean and US aircraft are due to begin major drills on Monday.
North Korea has said its recent missile launches were in protest against the joint exercises which, it says, are provocative and a rehearsal for an invasion.
South Korea and the United States say the exercises are defensive and needed to counter the North’s threats.
The United States and its allies say North Korea could be about to resume nuclear bomb testing for the first time since 2017.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has said the North has completed all the technical preparations needed for an underground blast at its Punggye-ri test site, which has been officially closed since 2018.
North Korea held six nuclear tests there from 2006 to 2017.
A seventh North Korean nuclear test would be further “confirmation of a program [that] is moving full-steam-ahead, in a way that is incredibly concerning”, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog said on Thursday.
South Korea has warned that a resumption of the North’s nuclear testing would have to be met with an “unparalleled” response from the allies, but neither it nor the United States has given details.
Reuters