North Korea has launched a new ballistic missile, the second in less than 48 hours and a day after joint exercises between the United States and South Korea, the joint chief of staff said in Seoul. “North Korea has launched an unspecified ballistic missile into the East Sea,” the South Korean military said, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan, according to the official Yonhap news agency. Even the Japanese Prime Minister’s office tweeted that “North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile.” State media in Pyongyang confirmed that they fired two rocket launcher shells at targets 395 km (245 miles) and 337 km (209 miles) away, respectively.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed “strong condemnation” of North Korea’s new missile launch and called on Pyongyang to stop “provocative actions”. This was announced by a spokesman for the United Nations.
The United States and South Korea on Sunday conducted joint air exercises involving a strategic bomber and a stealth fighter jet in response to North Korea’s launch of an ICBM the previous day. Japan said the ICBM flew for 66 minutes and landed in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). North Korea later said Saturday’s missile was a Hwasong-15 and part of a “surprise exercise” to demonstrate Pyongyang’s ability to mount a “deadly 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,” Kim Yo-jong said in a statement from North Korea’s official news agency KCNA.
“North Korea’s series of actions, including repeated launches of ballistic missiles, threaten the peace and security of Japan, the region and the international community,” said leaders in Tokyo, who protested vigorously and condemned North Korea.