International
oi-Gaurav Sharma
North Korea has fired several ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast in a new show of muscle days after tensions with the United States, South Korea and Japan escalated.
South Korean troops spotted multiple missiles being fired from Wonsan on Saturday, before they landed in the sea, according to South Korea’s defence ministry. They then boosted monitoring of North Korea for further missile launches or military action.
North Korea fired several ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast on Saturday from Wonsan, following joint military drills by the US, South Korea, and Japan, which Pyongyang condemned. The launches increase regional tensions and highlight ongoing instability on the Korean peninsula.
The timing of the latest test comes days after a five-day joint military drill involving the US, South Korea and Japan ended. Analysts say the drills have prompted fresh concerns about a potential arms race between Pyongyang and the three nations.
Pyongyang has consistently condemned such bilateral and multilateral exercises as a threat to its national security and has responded by conducting regular missile tests and threatening to take military action.
North Korean defence minister Kim Song Gi had accused the alliance of being an “open challenge” to Pyongyang and said they would be met with “strong and reflective countermeasures from the standpoint of power”.
The US said the recent salvoes were not a threat to its territory or that of its allies in the region. “The United States will continue to take steps to defend the homeland and to protect allies and partners,” said the US Pacific Command in a statement.
South Korea said it was working closely with the US and Japan and sharing relevant information with them regarding the recent launches.
The recent test marks the latest chapter in the long-running saga of North Korea’s ballistic missiles, in which Pyongyang has conducted numerous tests despite international condemnation and sanctions, with the US, South Korea and Japan stepping up their military co-operation in response.
Saturday’s tests are, therefore, a timely reminder that the Korean peninsula remains one of the most unstable regions in the world with missile tests and military drills only increasing the sense of tension between North Korea and its neighbours and their US ally.
