North Korea Fires Pair of Ballistic Missiles, Seoul Says
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Two days after North Korea test-fired a new long-range cruise missile, the South Korean army says Pyongyang fired two ballistic missiles toward the sea from its central inland area into the sea off its east coast.
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A missile is seen being fired in March 2020. (Korean Central News Agency)
North Korea fired a pair of ballistic missiles into the sea, said South Korea's military on Wednesday. This is the first launch into the South's sea since March 2020, according to the South Korean Yonhap News Agency.
The nuclear-armed North Korea "fired two unidentified ballistic missiles" from its central inland area into the sea off its east coast, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.
"South Korean and US intelligence agencies are conducting detailed analysis," their statement added, without immediately giving details of the missiles' range.
In turn, Japan's coastguard said it is possible that North Korea launched a ballistic missile, according to Kyodo News.
This comes days after Pyongyang successfully test-fired a new long-range cruise missile.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga described North Korea's test-fire of a ballistic missile as an "outrageous" act, calling it a "threat to the region's security and peace."
Analysts asserted that if they were to confirm the launch of said missiles, that would count for a North Korean technological advancement, as it would provide it with the ability to evade air defense systems.
"This activity highlights DPRK's continuing focus on developing its military program and the threats that poses to its neighbors and the international community," the US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement.
The Indo-Pacific Command's statement said it would "continue to monitor the situation and are consulting closely with our allies and partners."
White House Deputy Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, told the press her country's "position has not changed when it comes to North Korea." However, that also meant that the Biden administration is still ready to cooperate with the DPRK on denuclearization. "We remain prepared to engage in diplomacy with DPRK toward our objective of a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," she said.
North Korea test-fired a new long-range cruise missile Sunday, the Korean Central News Agency reported Monday amid accusations from the United States that the country is posing a threat to its neighbors.
The missiles traveled for over 1,500 km above North Korea and its territorial waters to hit their targets during the tests conducted over the weekend, according to KCNA.
The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, visited Seoul and met with his South Korean counterpart, Chung Eui-Yong. According to South Korea, the missile launches came during said visit.
