North Korea fired two cruise missiles on Wednesday, the South Korean Defense Ministry said, ending a month-long lull in Pyongyang’s record slew of weapons tests this year.
North Korea fired two cruise missiles on Wednesday, the South Korean Defense Ministry said, ending a month-long lull in Pyongyang’s record slew of weapons tests this year. “North Korea fired two cruise missiles towards the Yellow Sea from Onchon in South Pyongan province,” a ministry official told AFP. “US and South Korean military authorities are analyzing details such as flight distance,” he added.
North Korea has not tested a cruise missile since January, Yonhap news agency said. This type of missile is not prohibited by current United Nations sanctions. The last time Pyongyang conducted a weapons test was on July 10, with what appeared to be multiple rocket launchers.
North Korea has carried out a series of weapons tests since January, some of which contravene existing sanctions, including the firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time since 2017. Seoul and Washington also believe that Kim Jong Un’s regime may soon conduct a seventh nuclear test. Earlier this week, South Korean and US military troops launched preliminary drills ahead of the start of their annual combined exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS). These exercises exasperate Pyongyang, which considers them a rehearsal for an invasion.