North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast Monday morning, the South Korean military reported, in a double test that is part of a campaign to increase North Korean fire in protest at joint exercises by the United States and South Korea.
These two projectiles traveled a distance of about 370 kilometers, the army general staff in Seoul said. The Japanese government, meanwhile, said the missiles landed outside of Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
In a statement, the South Korean Army General Staff “strongly condemned” the repeated ballistic tests being conducted by Pyongyang and said the program of military exercises led by Washington and Seoul will not be changed.
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Tensions in Asia: Beijing threatens US reprisals after maneuvers by an American destroyer in the China Sea
An American aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, and other American naval vessels are scheduled to take part in joint maneuvers with the South Korean army on Monday, the South Korean Defense Ministry said.
The USS Nimitz is then scheduled to dock Tuesday in Busan, a port city in southeast South Korea that is home to a military base.
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Tensions in Asia: North Korea tests new underwater nuclear drone
Pyongyang has ramped up its ballistic testing campaign since earlier this month, launching cruise missiles last week which the official North Korean press said are intended to bolster the country’s nuclear counterattack capabilities.
North Korea also said it had tested a new nuclear-capable underwater drone under the supervision of its number one leader, Kim Jong-un.
These repeated firings coincide with large-scale military drills being conducted in the region by Washington and Seoul, maneuvers that Pyongyang denounces as a threat to its security and preparations for an invasion.