At least 10 missiles of various types were launched by North Korea that landed close to the south of the disputed maritime border and South Korean waters for the first time, Seoul’s military said on Wednesday. “The North Korean missile launch is very unusual and unacceptable as it fell close to South Korean territorial waters” south of the maritime border, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Kang Shin-chul said, according to AFP news agency.
Of those, three missiles were short-range ballistic missiles for which South Korea issued a rare warning for residents of a remote island off its eastern coast. The official said North Korea fired the three short-range ballistic missiles Wednesday morning from its eastern coastal area of Wonsan, reported news agency AP.
In the initial statement, the officials said North Korea fired a ballistic missile but didn’t offer many details. The launch has come amid North Korea’s warning of a veiled threat to use nuclear weapons to get the US and South Korea to “pay the most horrible price in history”.
Pak Jong Chon, a secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party, known as a close confidant of leader Kim Jong Un termed the ongoing military drills between South Korea and the US “aggressive and provocative.”
North Korea has said its recent weapons tests were meant to issue a warning to Washington and Seoul over their series of joint military drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal, including this week’s exercises involving about 240 warplanes.
On Tuesday, North Korea’s foreign ministry targeted the United States for expanding joint military exercises with South Korea and claimed are designed for a potential invasion. It further warned of “more powerful follow-up measures” in response.
Meanwhile, the White House on Tuesday refuted North Korea’s concern reiterating that drills are part of a routine training schedule with South Korea.
“We reject the notion that they serve as any sort of provocation. We have made clear that we have no hostile intent towards the DPRK and call on them to engage in serious and sustained diplomacy,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said Tuesday, using North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. “The DPRK continues to not respond. At the same time, we will continue to work closely with our allies and partners to limit the North’s ability to advance its unlawful weapons programs and threaten regional stability.”