North Korea fired projectiles from around Wonsan: South Korea military
[su_label type=”info”]SMA News –Agencies[/su_label][su_spacer size=”10″][su_dropcap]N[/su_dropcap] orth Korea fired at least two unidentified projectiles early on Thursday from an area near Wonsan, on North Korea’s eastern coast, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The projectiles flew about 430 kilometers (267 miles) to the east, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, but did not elaborate. The characteristics of their flight, including the range, was similar to North Korea’s last missile tests in May, analysts said.
If confirmed, this would be the first missile test reported since U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas at the end of June. The White House, Pentagon and U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The United States and North Korea vowed to soon hold new rounds of working-level talks, but since then North Korea has sharply criticized upcoming joint military drills by U.S. and South Korean troops.
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said earlier this month Washington’s pattern of “unilaterally reneging on its commitments” by holding military exercises with South Korea was leading Pyongyang to reconsider its own commitments to discontinue tests of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles. “North Korea is clearly upset that the U.S. and South Korea are conducting joint military exercises,” said Harry Kazianis of Washington’s Center for the National Interest. “We should not be shocked by this move and, in fact, we should have seen it coming.”
North Korea’s last weapons testing was in May, which included both short-range missiles as well as smaller rockets. At the time, Kim oversaw the first flight of a previously untested weapon – a relatively small, fast missile experts believe will be easier to hide, launch and maneuver in flight.
On Tuesday, state news agency KCNA reported Kim inspected a large, newly built submarine, accompanied by missile program leaders. It potentially signaled continued development of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) program. Denuclearization talks between North Korea and the United States have stalled after a second summit between Trump and Kim in Vietnam in February broke down.
