NEW DELHI: North Korea claimed it successfully tested a new missile with multiple warheads, but South Korea dismissed this as a cover-up for a failed launch. The missile launch happened two days after South Korea, the U.S., and Japan finished their “Freedom Edge” military exercises.
These drills involved a U.S. aircraft carrier, destroyers, fighter jets, and helicopters from all three countries, practising missile defence, anti-submarine, and maritime interdiction tactics.
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry stated it will “strongly protect the country’s sovereignty, security, and interests, as well as regional peace, through aggressive and powerful responses.” On Sunday, North Korea criticized last month’s joint military exercise by South Korea, Japan, and the United States.
Recently, North Korea sent several balloons filled with trash into South Korea, claiming it was a retaliatory move against South Korean activists who had been sending political leaflets into North Korea with their balloons.
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The Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that North Korea launched two missiles 10 minutes apart from Jangyon in the southeast. The first missile travelled 600 kilometres (370 miles) and the second 120 kilometres (75 miles). They did not specify where the missiles landed. Usually, North Korea fires missiles toward its eastern waters, but the second missile didn’t fly far enough to reach them.
According to media sources, an unidentified military source said the second missile likely crashed somewhere inland in North Korea. There were no immediate reports of any damage caused by the crash.
Media reports stated that the first missile landed in the waters near Chongjin, a city in eastern North Korea. While South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff did not comment on these reports, they assured that South Korea is ready to counter any provocations from North Korea in partnership with the U.S.
The missile launch occurred two days after South Korea, the U.S., and Japan finished new joint military exercises in the area. These three countries have recently strengthened their security partnership to address North Korea’s growing nuclear threats and China’s increasing assertiveness in the region.