North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Sunday, according to South Korea’s military. This action comes just days after North Korea threatened to enhance its nuclear deterrent capabilities in response to what it termed US hostilities.
The launches were the latest in a series of weapons demonstrations by North Korea even after US President Donald Trump scaled back a joint military exercise with South Korea last month in an apparent effort to revive diplomacy with the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un. The two missile launches – about three hours apart – were conducted from North Korea’s eastern coastal Wonsan area. The missiles eventually ended up in the sea. South Korea’s presidential office urged North Korea to immediately halt ballistic missile launches that are banned by UN Security Council resolutions.
The first missile flew about 450 kilometres (280 miles) while the second one flew more than 600 kilometres (370 miles), both toward the North’s eastern waters, South Korea’s military said.
The South’s military said it maintains readiness to repel any provocations by the North under a solid alliance with the United States. Japan’s Defense Ministry said it detected a suspected North Korean missile earlier Sunday but that the weapon did not land in its territorial waters.
Emboldened by his advancing nuclear arsenal and deepening ties with Russia and China, experts say Kim likely thinks he now has greater leverage in possible fresh diplomacy with Trump.
Earlier this year, Kim said he could return to talks if the U.S. drops its “hostile policy” against his country and respects what he calls the North’s status as a nuclear state. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, a liberal who advocates improved ties with the North, said on Friday that a resumption of US-North Korea talks would be “an important starting point” toward boosting chances for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
