North Korea launches two missiles that landed in the sea

North Korea has reportedly launched two short-range ballistic missiles towards the sea, according to the Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday. This comes just hours after the announcement of the docking of a nuclear-armed American submarine in South Korea.

Yonhap reported that South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that the missiles were launched early Wednesday from the Sunan area in Pyongyang, flying a distance of about 500 kilometers before falling into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff condemned the launch as a "serious provocation" and a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

In a tweet, they stated, "We are analyzing the details, but we assessed that they fell outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, east of the Korean Peninsula."

The missile launches are part of a series of missile tests by Pyongyang, as tensions escalate between Seoul and Pyongyang, prompting South Korea and the United States to enhance their defense cooperation.

On Tuesday, the two allies held their first meeting of the Nuclear Advisory Group in Seoul and announced that an American submarine would dock at the port of Busan for the first time since 1981.

It was expected that North Korea's response would be strong, especially since Pyongyang opposes the United States' deployment of nuclear capabilities in the Korean Peninsula.

The missile launches come less than a week after Kim Jong-un personally oversaw the launch of the latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from North Korea, called the "Hwasong-18."

Relations between the two Koreas have deteriorated to their lowest point, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stating last year that there is "no turning back" on his country's nuclear status, calling for an enhancement of armaments, particularly tactical nuclear weapons.

In response, Seoul and Washington have strengthened their defense cooperation, including organizing joint military exercises utilizing advanced air and strategic weapons.

The missile launches also coincide with Washington's speculation on Tuesday that Pyongyang has detained an American soldier who crossed the border "without permission."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFP