ALBAWABA - North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off its eastern coast, one day after the launch of joint U.S.-South Korean mock war games in the area.
The move was seen as a major provocation for North Korea, threatening peace and security in that region.
Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, fired two short-range ballistic missiles into what is known as the Sea of Japan on Tuesday, according to the South Korean military.
North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles that travelled more than 600 kilometres to the sea on Tuesday, just a day after South Korea and the US began military drills in the region.
— TRT World (@trtworld) March 14, 2023
A look at past missile launches by North Korea: pic.twitter.com/HImiVqGiRY
The Joint Staff of the South Korean Forces monitored the launch in South Hwanghae, North Korean Province, from 7:41 am to 7:51 am.
The move follows the start of joint military maneuvers between the United States and its South Korean ally, which is the largest in five years and nicknamed "Freedom Shield."
The maneuvers started Monday and will continue until March 23 without interruption.
The U.S. and South Korea said that the aim of the military exercise is to confront and address the "growing threats from Pyongyang".
South Korea says North Korea has test-launched a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters #SouthKorea #KimJongUn #NorthKorea #Korea https://t.co/ehaBfwKp8b
— Republic (@republic) March 14, 2023
North Korea, however, regards the exercises as an "invasion of its territory."
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the South Korean Ministry of Defense said that the South Korea-US alliance will continue with the exercises, even if North Korea tries to "disrupt the Freedom Shield maneuvers with provocative actions."
For its part, the South Korean army condemned North Korea, describing the repeated missile launches as a "major provocation that threatens peace and security in the region."
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the missiles did not pose a direct threat to the forces or territory of the United States or its allies.
North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles, following a pattern of weapons tests in response to military drills by the U.S. and South Korea https://t.co/feGgYP4Vq6
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) March 14, 2023
But it also confirmed that the armed forces had strengthened their monitoring in anticipation of other launches.
North Korea did not hide its dissatisfaction with the joint military operations but said that the missile launches aimed at "testing its means of nuclear deterrence in different places."
Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered his army to intensify military exercises in preparation for a "real war."
