North Korea yesterday fired five short-range missiles into the sea off its east coast — the latest in a series of launches ordered by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un amid rising military tensions.
They came days after North Korea test-fired two medium-range missiles in what the UN Security Council described as an “unacceptable” violation of UN resolutions.
Tensions have been soaring on the divided Korean Peninsula since North Korea carried out its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6, followed a month later by a long-range rocket launch that was widely seen as a disguised ballistic missile test.
Photo:AP/Lee Jin-man
The UN Security Council earlier this month responded by imposing its toughest sanctions on North Korea to date.
In recent weeks, Pyongyang has maintained a daily barrage of nuclear strike threats against both Seoul and Washington, ostensibly over continuing large-scale South Korea-US military drills that North Korea sees as provocative rehearsals for invasion.
A South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff official said the five short-range missiles were launched from near North Korea’s eastern city of Hamhung just before 3:20pm and landed in the Sea of Japan.
The official said analysts are still gathering intelligence on the precise missile type.
China, North Korea’s sole major ally, yesterday urged it to refrain from violating UN resolutions and called for calm. At a meeting with senior aides earlier yesterday, South Korean President Park Geun-hye warned of a “very crucial time” for the Korean Peninsula.
“Even after the international community adopted strong sanctions, North Korea continues to attempt reckless provocations as shown through Kim Jong-un’s recent order,” Park said.
Seoul government officials said they were fully prepared for the possibility of another North Korean underground nuclear test.
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