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North Korea launched multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan on Thursday, conducting its first such test since March, according to South Korean media.
According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the missiles were launched from the eastern coastal city of Wonsan at approximately 8:10 a.m. local time (2310 GMT Wednesday). They reportedly traveled up to 800 kilometers (497 miles) before landing in the sea.
“Our military has heightened surveillance for potential additional launches and remains in full readiness, while closely coordinating intelligence on North Korea’s ballistic missile activity with the United States and Japan,” the JCS said in a statement.
The governments of South Korea, Japan, and the United States strongly condemned Pyongyang’s missile tests.
In a phone call, Japanese Foreign Ministry official Okochi Akihiro and South Korean Foreign Ministry official Kim Heun-jin “strongly condemned the launches,” describing them as “a threat to regional and international peace and security,” according to a statement from Japan’s Foreign Ministry.
The two officials also “reaffirmed close coordination among Japan, the United States, and South Korea.”
Washington issued its own condemnation, urging Pyongyang to “refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing actions.”
The latest missile launch comes after North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles on March 10, coinciding with the start of joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States.
TWEET: North Korea fires multiple short-range ballistic missiles from its eastern coast, marking its first test since March
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