North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles off its east coast Monday, days after warning Seoul of retaliation if its territory were violated.
The missiles were launched from Pyongyang and some of them flew more than 900 kilometers (560 miles), South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. It marks North Korea’s fourth ballistic missile test in about a month, including the latest about a week earlier where Pyongyang said it had tested an intermediate-range strategic missile with hypersonic capabilities.
South Korea held an emergency security meeting Monday and urged North Korea to halt its repeated missile launches. They “violate UN Security Council resolutions and constitute grave acts that do not contribute to managing the current situation on the Korean Peninsula,” the presidential office said in a statement.
The missiles appear to have splashed into the sea between the Koreas and Japan. Sanae Takaichi, the island nation’s prime minister, instructed officials to ensure the safety of aircraft and vessels and to be fully prepared for any unforeseen developments, according to the government’s crisis management center.
The launches follow a demining operation along the two countries’ heavily fortified border conducted by Seoul after three South Korean soldiers were injured in a landmine blast. Seoul said the mine came from North Korea. North Korea has denied any wrongdoing, calling the investigation results a fabrication.
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry has said Pyongyang would not tolerate even a “millimeter” violation of its territory, responding to the mine removal operations.
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While South Korea has sought to keep the incident from escalating, both Koreas have since continued to flex their military muscles. Days after North Korea said it tested a new hypersonic weapons system, South Korea said it had successfully tested a hypersonic glide vehicle.
Hypersonic glide vehicles, or HGVs, are warheads that can maneuver in the atmosphere on their way to a target, extending range and complicating interception.
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“Our military is closely monitoring various North Korean activities and maintaining the capability and posture to respond overwhelmingly to any provocations,” South Korea’s JCS said.