North Korea fires two more missiles into Pacific ‘shooting range’

SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea launched two more ballistic missiles off its east coast on Thursday. Kim Jong Un’s powerful sister said whether North Korea would use the Pacific as a “shooting range” would depend on North Korea’s actions. U.S. Army.

Launch comes just two days after North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) sank in waters off Japan’s west coast, prompting US to put it on hold joint aerial exercise Separately with Korea and Japan on Sunday.

North Korea’s state media confirmed that it fired two projectiles from multiple rocket launchers at targets 395 km (245 miles) and 337 km (209 miles) away.

North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that “the 600mm multiple rocket launcher mobilized for launch…is a tactical nuclear weapon vehicle” that can “paralyze” enemy airfields.

Analysts say a warning from Kim Jong Un’s sister Kim Yo Jong that the Pacific is a firing range for North Korea suggests plans to launch more missiles, possibly in the direction of US territory Guam. said to be sexual.

Japan’s defense ministry said two missiles launched around 2200 GMT on Monday reached maximum altitudes of about 100 km and 50 km.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he had requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council over the nuclear test, and Jiji Press said the meeting was set for 2000 GMT.

But the prospect of a new round of UN sanctions Past vetoes by Russia and China Ukraine crisis and Sino-American feud Above a Chinese balloon in the American sky.

The South Korean military called the launch a “serious provocation” and said it should be stopped immediately. Yoon Suk-yeol’s office said it had convened a national security council to review the tests and discuss countermeasures.

South Korea’s foreign ministry has announced sanctions against four individuals and five entities linked to North Korea’s weapons program over its latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and missile tests.

The ministry said its nuclear envoy spoke by phone with US and Japanese counterparts and agreed that North Korea’s provocations could not be justified and that they would face “complacency consequences.”

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command has stressed the “destabilizing effects” of North Korea’s illegal weapons programme, and United Nations spokesman Stéphane Dujarric has warned North Korea against such provocations, which are prohibited by Security Council resolutions. He urged them to stop and resume denuclearization dialogue.

rising tension

North Korean leader Kim’s sister has warned against the growing presence of US strategic military assets following joint aviation exercises with Asian allies over the weekend.

“The frequency with which the Pacific is used as a firing range will depend on the behavioral characteristics of the U.S. military,” she said in a statement provided by KCNA.

The United States and South Korea are set to host a mock nuclear tabletop exercise this week aimed at improving the operations of U.S. nuclear assets, as well as the annual Spring Freedom Shield Field training in March.

North Korea’s foreign ministry said last week in response to the exercises,Unprecedented sustained and powerful reaction“.

“Tensions on the Korean peninsula are likely to peak in the coming months as North Korea accelerates its military actions more frequently, and her statement will use the Pacific as a firing range to launch an impromptu It shows that we will continue to test missiles,” Yang Mu said. Professor Jin at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Institute for Korean Unification, said Kim’s reference to the Pacific suggested North Korea would launch long-range missiles more frequently.

Monday’s missile launch is North Korea’s third known weapons test this year after last year it launched an unprecedented number of missiles, including an ICBM capable of striking anywhere in the United States.

Kim Yo-jung also criticized some South Korean experts who questioned the credibility of ICBMs, saying Saturday’s “sudden” test required nine hours of preparation, making it “disgusting” and “ridiculous”. There are,” he said.

She said the launch took into account weather conditions and took place “at the most opportune time” after the departure of US and South Korean reconnaissance planes.

“They would be better off scratching their heads to take measures to protect themselves rather than doubting or worrying about the skill of others,” she said. We confirm once again that there is no change in our will to make the worst maniacs pay for their actions.”

Reported by Soohyang Choi and Hyoni Shin in Seoul, and Changran Kim in Tokyo. Additional reporting by Brendan O’Brien in Washington and Michelle Nichols in New York. Edited by Lisa Shumaker, Diane Craft and Lincoln Feast.

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