SEOUL: North Korea fired what appeared to be multiple short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, South Korea’s military said, a week ahead of a key Asia-Pacific leaders’ meeting in South Korea.
It was the first launch of ballistic missiles since May by Pyongyang, which has defied an international ban backed by the U.S. and South Korea on such weapons development.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump are expected to meet in South Korea next week at a summit meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. Trump is also expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
South Korea detected several projectiles believed to be short-range ballistic missiles fired from an area near North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, in a northeasterly direction early on Wednesday, its Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.
South Korea’s military said it had detected movements ahead of the launch, then tracked the projectiles after they were fired and flew about 350 km (217 miles), the military said.
The missiles appeared to have fallen inland, a military official separately said. South Korea was sharing information about the launch with the U.S. and Japan, the military said.
South Korea’s presidential office convened an emergency security meeting that military officials also attended, and the president was briefed on the launch.
Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said there was no impact on Japan’s security from the North Korean missile launch and Tokyo was sharing real-time information with the U.S.
North Korea last launched ballistic missiles on May 8 when it fired multiple short-range missiles from its east coast.
Nuclear-armed North Korea has steadily upgraded its missile capabilities over the past decade defying multiple United Nations sanctions, having test-launched long-range ballistic missiles with potential ranges to strike the U.S. mainland if fired at a trajectory calibrated for that purpose.
North Korea showcased its latest intercontinental ballistic missile this month at a parade attended by the Chinese premier.
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