North Korea has launched a new ballistic missile, the second in less than 48 hours and a day after the joint exercises between the United States and South Korea, the joint chief of staff in Seoul announced. “North Korea fired an unspecified ballistic missile toward the East Sea,” the South Korean military said, according to the official Yonhap news agency, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan. Even the Japanese prime minister’s office tweeted that “North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile.” State media in Pyongyang confirmed that it fired two shells from a multiple rocket launcher, aiming at targets 395 km (245 miles) and 337 km (209 miles) away, respectively.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres he expressed “strong condemnation” of the new missile launch by North Korea and called on Pyongyang to stop the “provocative actions”. This was reported by a spokesman for the United Nations.
The United States and South Korea staged joint air exercises using a strategic bomber and stealth fighter jet on Sunday in response to North Korea’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) the day before. Japan said the ICBM flew for 66 minutes and landed in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). North Korea later declared that the missile launched on Saturday was a Hwasong-15 and was part of a “surprise” exercise to demonstrate Pyongyang’s ability to carry out a “fatal nuclear counterattack”.
The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un today threatened reactions against joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States. “The use of the Pacific as a firing range depends on the actions of US forces,” said Kim Yo-jong in a statement released by the official North Korean news agency KCNA.
“The series of actions by North Korea, including the repeated launches of ballistic missiles, threaten the peace and security of Japan, the region and the international community,” said the leaders of the government in Tokyo, who protested strongly, condemning North Korea.