North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan on Friday, at a time of rising tension on the Korean peninsula.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that “two North Korean-launched short-range ballistic missiles” had been detected.
This latest launch comes on the same day that Seoul and Washington are due to wrap up joint military exercises, with both countries also announcing large-scale aerial maneuvers with fifth-generation fighter-bombers between Oct. 31 and Nov. 4.
On Wednesday, the United States, Japan and South Korea warned Pyongyang that if it goes ahead with a nuclear test, it will result in an “unprecedented strong response.”
“All three countries agreed on the need for an unprecedentedly strong response if North Korea conducts a seventh nuclear test,” said South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong.
Seoul and Washington have repeatedly warned that Pyongyang could be on the verge of carrying out another nuclear test, for the first time since 2017, after a series of ballistic missile launches in recent weeks.
A missile flew over Japan last month and North Korea said it had conducted tactical nuclear exercises.
“All of these behaviors are dangerous and deeply destabilizing,” said US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, who urged North Korea to refrain from “further provocations.”
Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori said “North Korea’s intensification of nuclear and missile activities… is a clear and serious challenge to the international community.”
The three countries agreed to “strengthen deterrence in our region with a view to the denuclearization of North Korea,” it added.
Source: TSF
