North Korea presents ballistic missiles amid escalating tensions
(MENAFN) North Korea conducted missile launches off its east coast on Monday, according to South Korea's military, following warnings of countermeasures against joint military exercises involving South Korea, the United States, and Japan.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that a short-range ballistic missile was fired from South Hwanghae Province's Gangneon area at approximately 5:05 AM, directed northeastward. Shortly after, another ballistic missile of unidentified type was launched around 5:15 AM, as reported by a South Korean news agency. Details such as the range of the missiles were not immediately provided.
In response to the launches, South Korea's military heightened surveillance and readiness while sharing ballistic missile data with U.S. and Japanese authorities. The Joint Chiefs of Staff emphasized their ongoing vigilance against further provocations from North Korea.
The missile launches coincided with North Korea's condemnation of the Freedom Edge multi-domain military drill involving the U.S., South Korea, and Japan. North Korea's Foreign Ministry had earlier criticized the exercises, describing them as an effort to bolster a military alliance against Pyongyang. The drills, which concluded on Saturday, included fighter aircraft and warships, including a U.S. aircraft carrier.
This recent launch follows another ballistic missile fired by North Korea into the East Sea just five days earlier. North Korea had claimed the test was successful, asserting it involved a multiple-warhead missile. However, South Korea disputed this, stating the missile had exploded mid-air, labeling North Korea's claim as misleading.
The timing of these launches raises concerns amid increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia. Last month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty during a summit in Pyongyang. The agreement includes mutual defense commitments, heightening regional security dynamics.
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