North Korea fires ballistic missiles into sea hours after US, South Korea, Japan military drill
North Korea launched several ballistic missiles towards the sea on Saturday, hours after a five-day military exercise involving the United States, South Korea and Japan concluded. The missile launches came amid heightened tensions over Pyongyang’s strong opposition to joint military activities by the three countries, which it considers a direct security threat. South Korea’s military said it detected multiple missile launches from the Wonsan area on North Korea’s eastern coast. The projectiles were fired towards the sea, with authorities in Seoul immediately stepping up surveillance and monitoring activities.
The South Korean military said it was maintaining close coordination with the United States and Japan and sharing information about the launches. The latest developments have once again highlighted the security tensions surrounding North Korea’s missile and nuclear programmes and the military cooperation among Washington, Seoul and Tokyo.
US says launches pose no immediate threat
The US Pacific Command said the latest North Korean launch event did not pose an immediate threat to US territory or its allies in the region. The command reiterated that the United States remained committed to defending the US homeland as well as its allies and partners in the region. The assessment came as South Korea and the United States continued to monitor the situation following the missile launches.
North Korea had warned of countermeasures
The missile launches followed the conclusion of the five-day Freedom Edge military exercise involving the United States, South Korea and Japan. South Korea has described the drills as defensive in nature, saying they are aimed at improving the three countries’ ability to respond jointly to potential nuclear threats from North Korea. However, Pyongyang has repeatedly viewed such military cooperation as a threat to its security. Hours after the latest exercise began on Monday, North Korean Defence Minister Kim Song Gi criticised the drills and issued a warning.
Kim said North Korea was capable of taking “strong and reflective countermeasures from the standpoint of power.” The subsequent missile launches on Saturday came a day after the trilateral exercise ended, adding a fresh layer of tension to the already sensitive security environment on the Korean Peninsula.
(With inputs from AP)
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