Seoul condemns the launches as a serious provocation and orders its military to maintain full readiness during joint exercises with Washington.
WEB DESK: North Korea has fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea, according to South Korean officials, as the United States and South Korea conduct joint military exercises.
The launches prompted Seoul to condemn the move and order its military to maintain a high level of readiness amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Seoul condemns North Korean missile launches
South Korea’s presidential office said the missiles were launched from the Pyongyang area toward waters east of the Korean Peninsula.
An emergency security meeting was convened following the launches, with senior officials from the defence ministry and military leadership attending the meeting.
South Korea described the ballistic missile launches as a serious act and said they violated United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Seoul called on Pyongyang to immediately halt such actions.
Missiles launched during joint military exercises
The launches came as South Korean and US forces continue their annual joint military exercises.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, had criticised the exercises a day earlier, describing the drills as a provocative military activity.
Her remarks came despite US President Donald Trump’s reported order to significantly reduce US participation in the exercises.
The latest launches underscore the continued sensitivity surrounding US-South Korean military cooperation, which North Korea has repeatedly condemned.
South Korea suspects 600mm multiple rocket launcher system
South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back told lawmakers that the projectiles were believed to be associated with a 600mm multiple rocket launcher system.
South Korean authorities are continuing to monitor the weapons because of concerns that the system could potentially be deployed near the country’s border.
The system is internationally known as KN-25.
North Korea has previously claimed that its 600mm system is capable of carrying tactical nuclear warheads, although such claims are part of Pyongyang’s weapons assertions and have not been independently verified in the supplied report.
Tensions remain high on Korean Peninsula
The latest launches add to a series of weapons tests and military demonstrations by North Korea in recent years.
Pyongyang has consistently opposed joint US-South Korean military exercises, arguing that they are preparations for an attack against North Korea.
Washington and Seoul, meanwhile, maintain that their military cooperation is intended to strengthen deterrence and readiness against potential threats from Pyongyang.
The latest missile launches are likely to keep tensions elevated as the two allies continue their military exercises.
