North Korea fired several projectiles on Tuesday, including at least one short-range ballistic missile, toward waters off the country's west coast, South Korea's military said, UNN reports, citing Reuters.
Details
They were launched around 1:00 p.m. (07:00 Kyiv time) from an area near Jeongju in North Korea's North Pyongan Province, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.
According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the missile flew about 80 kilometers.
This is North Korea's first known missile launch since April 19, when the country tested several short-range ballistic missiles that it said were equipped with cluster bombs.
In early April, Pyongyang also claimed to have tested a new cluster bomb warhead on a ballistic missile and an electromagnetic weapon, which analysts said was part of an effort to demonstrate the DPRK's capability to wage modern warfare.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stated in March that his country's status as a nuclear power is irreversible and that expanding "self-defensive nuclear deterrent forces" is essential for national security.
Despite UN sanctions on its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs since 2006, North Korea has accelerated efforts to build up its arsenal under Kim in recent years, drawing condemnation from South Korea, Japan, and the United States.
A spokesperson for South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged North Korea to respond to Seoul's peace proposals and efforts to reduce tensions during a press briefing on Tuesday.
Seoul will maintain its goal of complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula while pursuing a phased and pragmatic approach to resolving the North Korean nuclear issue in close coordination with the international community, the spokesperson said.
Seoul and Washington are reviewing approaches to controlling the DMZ with the DPRK21.05.26, 11:24