North Korea fires two ballistic missiles off east coast in three hours

Ahn Young-joon/AP/File

North Korea launched two missiles off its eastern coast on Sunday, its second set of tests in roughly a week and days after Pyongyang accused the US of driving tensions on the Korean Peninsula through a series of military drills.

Just three hours after launching a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) toward the East Sea on Sunday afternoon, North Korea fired another short-range ballistic missile, according to South Korea’s defense ministry.

If the subsequent launch is confirmed to be a ballistic missile, it will mark two consecutive ballistic missile tests by North Korea within a three-hour window.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the first test firing from the Wonsan area around 3 p.m. (2 a.m. ET), identifying the weapon as a ballistic missile. Japan’s defense ministry also said it appeared to be a ballistic missile.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK said the projectile had come down outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

The first projectile flew approximately 450 km (280 miles) and is presumed to belong to the Hwasong-11 series, according to South Korea’s military. The second short-range missile, which was also fired from Wonsan at about 5:50 p.m. (0850 GMT), flew more than 600 km (373 miles), it said.

“South Korean and US intelligence authorities have been tracking and sharing related developments from the initial stage of the launch, and have also shared information regarding the ‘North Korean ballistic missile’ with Japan,” the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

South Korea’s National Security Council condemned the short-range missile launch, which follows a test on September 12. The council urged Pyongyang to immediately cease missile activity, warning the test directly violated UN Security Council resolutions.

Japan also lodged a protest through embassy channels in Beijing, according to a Nikkei report.

“This series of North Korean actions threatens the peace and security of Japan, the region, and the international community,” Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi was quoted as saying by Nikkei.

On Saturday, North Korea dismissed a resolution by the UN nuclear watchdog against Pyongyang’s nuclear program.

Pyongyang last week also condemned a US-led naval drill which included South Korea and Japan and which ran from August 29 to September 10 near Guam.

North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong , the influential sister of leader Kim Jong Un, on Friday blamed US-led military drills for “ever-worsening” tensions on the Korean Peninsula and vowed no change in the country’s course to strengthen its nuclear arsenal.

安永俊/美联社/档案照片

朝鲜周日从东海岸发射了两枚导弹，这是大约一周多以来的第二次导弹试验。此前几天，平壤指责美国通过一系列军事演习加剧了朝鲜半岛的紧张局势。

据韩国国防部称，朝鲜周日下午向东海发射了一枚短程弹道导弹（SRBM）仅三个小时后，又发射了另一枚短程弹道导弹。

如果随后的发射被证实是弹道导弹，这将是朝鲜在三个小时内连续进行的第二次弹道导弹试验。

韩国联合参谋本部表示，于下午3点左右（美国东部时间凌晨2点）探测到元山地区首次试射，并确认该武器为弹道导弹。日本防卫省也表示，该武器疑似为弹道导弹。

日本公共广播机构NHK称，该飞行物落在日本专属经济区之外。

据韩国军方称，第一枚导弹飞行了约450公里（280英里），据推测属于“火星-11”系列导弹。军方还表示，第二枚短程导弹也于下午5点50分左右（格林尼治标准时间0850）从元山发射，飞行距离超过600公里（373英里）。

韩国联合参谋本部表示：“韩国和美国的情报部门从发射初期就开始跟踪和分享相关进展，并且还与日本分享了有关‘朝鲜弹道导弹’的信息。”

韩国国家安全委员会谴责了此次短程导弹发射，此前朝鲜曾在9月12日进行过导弹试射。该委员会敦促平壤立即停止导弹活动，并警告称此次试射直接违反了联合国安理会决议。

据《日经新闻》报道，日本也通过驻北京大使馆渠道提出了抗议。

据《日经新闻》报道，日本防卫大臣小泉进次郎表示：“朝鲜的这一系列行动威胁到日本、该地区和国际社会的和平与安全。”

周六，朝鲜驳回了联合国核监督机构针对平壤核计划的决议。

上周，平壤还谴责了由美国主导、韩国和日本参与的、于8月29日至9月10日在关岛附近举行的海上联合军演。

朝鲜领导人金正恩的妹妹、极具影响力的金与正周五指责美国主导的军事演习导致朝鲜半岛紧张局势“不断恶化”，并誓言朝鲜加强核武库的路线不会改变。