North Korea launched a series of short-range ballistic missiles on Monday, the second such test in a week, South Korea’s National Defense Staff announced.
According to the same source, the launch of “short-range ballistic missiles” towards the eastern sea was detected and is underway at around 06:50 (local time; 00:50 Greek time).
In anticipation of further launches, South Korea’s military has “intensified its vigilance and surveillance” while “sharing” intelligence it has gathered with Seoul’s allies the US and Japan, the personnel added.
Tokyo confirmed the launches. The Japan Coast Guard announced that one missile had already fallen into the sea. It also urged ships in the area where missiles could fall to “pay attention to information transmitted to them” and “if they see missiles falling, do not approach but alert the coast guard,” it said.
According to Seoul, North Korea also launched “short-range ballistic missiles” toward the East Sea last Thursday, the first major weapons test carried out by Pyongyang since early July.
“Serious threat to peace and stability”
The South Korean General Staff strongly condemned “North Korea’s missile launch, which is an obvious provocation (…) and seriously threatens peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.”
North Korea has conducted dozens of weapons tests this year, which experts believe may be linked to Pyongyang’s alleged delivery of missiles and munitions to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine. The West has often accused the North of supplying weapons and munitions to Russia, a charge the nuclear-armed country has denied.
North Korea is theoretically banned from launching ballistic missiles under UN Security Council resolutions. Pyongyang defies these decisions and the sanctions imposed on it, invoking its right to self-defence. Tensions on the Korean peninsula remain high, with North Korea increasing its missile tests in recent years and vowing to increase its nuclear arsenal in the face of the threat it faces from the US and South Korea. At the same time, Pyongyang is strengthening its traditional ties with Moscow.