South Korea reports multiple ballistic missile launches from North Korea into the East Sea, prompting emergency security meetings and heightened surveillance
SEOUL: North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles into the sea on Sunday.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launches originated from the Sinpo area around 06:10 local time.
“Our military detected several unidentified ballistic missiles fired into the East Sea from the Sinpo area of North Korea,” the military said.
It added that surveillance had been strengthened in preparation for possible additional launches.
South Korea’s presidential office convened an emergency security meeting in response.
Analysts view the tests as Pyongyang’s latest rejection of Seoul’s attempts to improve strained relations.
This follows a recent statement from a senior North Korean official reviving the description of the South as “the enemy state most hostile” to Pyongyang.
The launches add to a recent series of weapons tests by the nuclear-armed state.
These have included ballistic missiles, anti-warship cruise missiles and cluster munitions.
North Korea is subject to multiple UN sanctions banning its ballistic missile technology development.
Earlier this month, leader Kim Jong Un oversaw tests of strategic cruise missiles launched from a naval warship.
Official photos showed him watching the firings from the destroyer Choe Hyon.
The North is building two more 5,000-ton class destroyers to add to its fleet.
A South Korean lawmaker said construction of a destroyer at Nampo port appeared to be accelerating.
Citing satellite imagery, Yoo Yong-won said North Korea was “accelerating the naval forces’ modernisation on the back of military assistance from Russia”.
North Korea has sent troops and artillery shells to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Observers say Pyongyang is receiving military technology assistance from Moscow in return.
