• North Korea fires two ballistic missiles, South Korea and Japan say

    International
    North Korea fires two ballistic missiles, South Korea and Japan say

    Digital Desk: The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea
    informed reporters on Sunday that North Korea has launched two short-range
    ballistic missiles into the waters off the eastern coast of the peninsula from
    the Munchon area of Kangwon Province.



    According to Japan's State Minister of Defense Toshiro
    Ino, the missiles were fired between 1:47 and 1:53 a.m. local time on Sunday.



    According to Ino, the first missile is thought to have
    traveled 350 kilometers (217 miles) at a maximum height of roughly 100
    kilometers (62 miles). About the same distance was covered by the second.



    The
    defense ministry is still examining the specifics and trying to determine what
    kind of missiles were launched, including the potential that they were
    submarine-launched ballistic missiles, even though there were no reports of any
    damage to seagoing boats.



    According
    to the joint chiefs of staff of South Korea, the military has increased its
    surveillance and alertness while maintaining a full readiness posture and
    working closely with the US.






     The 25th missile launch by North Korea this year, including
    both ballistic and cruise missiles, was on Sunday. The most recent of such
    launches in the previous two weeks took place on Thursday when North Korea
    launched two short-range ballistic missiles.



    The Japanese Coast
    Guard advised ships to heed warnings and to stay clear of any debris that had
    fallen into the water. Additionally, it requested that ships disclose any
    pertinent data.



    South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff on Saturday “strongly
    condemned” the launches, calling them a “serious provocation” that harms peace
    and safety, according to reports. 



    The joint chiefs denounced and urged the North to
    immediately cease such missile testing, saying, "North Korea's repeated
    ballistic missile launch is a serious provocation that harms peace and safety
    of the Korean Peninsula as well as the international community and it is also a
    clear violation of the UNSC resolution."



    According to the joint chiefs, the early Sunday morning
    missile launches had a flying range of roughly 350 kilometers and an altitude
    of roughly 90 kilometers.



    According to the joint chiefs, the South Korean military
    will continue to maintain a "strong readiness posture" while closely
    coordinating with the US to watch and monitor relevant movements.