North Korea on Thursday accused Seoul of “provocative actions” by firing artillery fire for about 10 hours near their common border, adding it had taken “strong military countermeasures” after the South Koreans accused Pyongyang of launching a new missile.
A spokesman for the North Korean military said the South Korean military carried out “artillery fire for about 10 hours near the forward defense area of the Fifth Corps of the Korean People’s Army,” according to a statement issued by the agency. Korean news. news.
The KPA “has taken strong military countermeasures” in response to the neighbor’s “provocative action,” it added.
The press release did not specify whether Seoul’s artillery fire was an exercise or a shot at North Korea.
The public relations office of the South Korean Defense Ministry did not immediately provide any comment, the Associated Press (AP) reports.
Moments earlier, South Korea had announced that its northern neighbor launched another ballistic missile into its eastern waters today, in a test that came hours after North Korean warplanes flew near the border.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the launch occurred at 01:49 am on Friday (4:49 pm Thursday in Lisbon).
The same source added that South Korea has increased its surveillance posture and maintains military readiness in close coordination with the United States.
The Japanese Ministry of Defense and the Prime Minister’s office also reported through the social network Twitter that North Korea had launched a missile.
This is the ninth missile launch by North Korea in the past 20 days.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff also noted that North Korea sent warplanes near the border between the two countries early on Wednesday, prompting Seoul to send warplanes to the area.
At least 10 North Korean planes carried out maneuvers near the southern border, forcing Seoul to send planes for a possible interception maneuver, according to the EFE news agency.
There were no reports of clashes between the two Koreas, the AP reported.
However, this is a highly unusual incident and comes at a time of escalating tensions between the rivals.
The latest launches came hours after the United States and South Korea ended another naval exercise off the east coast of the Korean peninsula.
The exercises involved a US aircraft carrier.
Source: TSF
