1 of 1 Kim Jongun and his sister Kim Yojong — Photo: GETTY IMAGES Kim Jongun and his sister Kim Yojong — Photo: GETTY IMAGES
North Korea has fired two ballistic missiles at its east coast, the South Korean military said on Sunday. North Korean leader Kim Jongun’s sister has warned the country could turn the Pacific Ocean into a “firing ground”.
The launches come just two days after North Korea fired an ICBM into the sea off Japan’s west coast, prompting joint U.S.South Korea air exercises on Sunday.
North Korean state media confirmed that they fired two projectiles from a multiple rocket launcher, targeting targets 395 km and 337 km away respectively.
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“The 600mm multiple rocket launcher used in firing … is a tactical nuclear weapon asset” that can “paralyze” an enemy airfield, state news agency KCNA said.
The Japanese Defense Ministry said the two ballistic missiles, which were launched around 7 p.m. (1900 GMT), reached a maximum altitude of about 100 km and 50 km and traveled a distance of about 350 to 400 km before falling outside the exclusive economic zone Japan’s crashed .
There were no reports of damage to aircraft or ships.
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In a statement, the ministry said it will continue to collect and analyze intelligence in close cooperation with the United States.
“North Korea’s series of actions, including repeated launches of ballistic missiles, threaten the peace and security of Japan, the region and the international community,” the ministry said. “Japan has lodged a strong protest and sharply condemned North Korea.”
tension rises
North Korean leader Kim’s sister Kim Yojong warned against increasing the presence of strategic US assets in the Korean peninsula after the United States held joint air exercises with South Korea and separately with Japan on Sunday.
“We are carefully evaluating the impact this would have on the security of our state,” she said in a statement. “The frequency of using the Pacific as a firing range depends on the nature of the actions of US forces.”
It also refuted experts’ assessments of its missile capabilities after some pointed out that it had taken more than nine hours for the missile’s “sudden” launch to occur on Leader Kim’s orders, and said South Korea doesn’t even have one yet Recognition carried out start.
“We have satisfactory technology and capacity and will now focus on increasing the strength of its armed forces,” she said.
Monday’s missile launch marks the North’s third major weapons test this year, after Pyongyang threatened a “sustained and unprecedented” response as South Korea and the United States prepared for their annual military drills to stave off the North’s growing nuclear and missile threat .