According to reports from surrounding countries, North Korea apparently fired several ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan.
Japan reported the launch on Thursday evening local time, and South Korean military authorities later corroborated these reports.
Officials decided that there were likely two missiles after additional study.
North Korea has launched unidentified ballistic missiles into the East Sea, according to a statement from the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff on Thursday evening.
The launch of the missiles follows days of military exercises conducted by South Korean and Japanese forces near the DMZ between the two Koreas. According to the accusations, real weapons were used in the training exercises.
The North Korean Ministry of National Defence stated in response to the drills which strongly denounced the military authorities’ irresponsible and provocative moves, escalating the tension despite repeated warnings.
Over the last few years, it has become commonplace for Pyongyang to respond to military maneuvers conducted near its territory by firing missiles into the surrounding waters. These incidents of reciprocal provocation have further weakened East Asian relations.
On Sunday, Japan said that it would expand an existing order to intercept and destroy any North Korean rocket that crossed into Japanese territory. After the deadline for Pyongyang’s test satellite launches had passed, the Japanese Ministry of Defence decided.
In May, North Korea tried to launch a satellite rocket from its territory, alarming its neighbors South Korea and Japan before the mission ultimately failed.
State media said that when stage one and stage two of the rocket separated, the rocket lost velocity and crashed into the sea off the Korean Peninsula to the west.
Pyongyang has said that scientists are looking into what went wrong.
North Korea’s saber-rattling is a constant source of world instability. The bullying country enjoys the protection of much more feared nations.
