Keystone-SDA
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September 18, 2024 – 08:33
(Keystone-ATS) North Korea fired a salvo of short-range ballistic missiles early Wednesday, the South Korean military said, the second such test in a week.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had “detected and [être en train d’]analyze several short-range ballistic missiles launched in a north-east direction at around 06:50 local time (23:50 Tuesday in Switzerland).
“In anticipation of further launches, our armed forces have increased their surveillance and vigilance, while closely sharing information” with their Japanese and American allies, he added.
Tokyo confirmed the launches, while the Japanese coast guard said a missile had already crashed into the sea. “Ships are requested to pay attention to the information reaching them and, if they see any projectiles falling, not to approach them, but to report it to the coast guard,” they warned in a statement.
Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said the missiles “appear to have landed on the eastern coast of the North Korean mainland,” outside Japanese waters.
The missiles were fired from the Kaechon area, north of Pyongyang, and traveled about 400 kilometers, according to the South Korean military.
Supply of arms to Russia
Last Thursday, North Korea had already fired multiple “short-range ballistic missiles” towards the sea, according to Seoul, which was its first major weapons test since early July.
“We strongly condemn the missile launch by North Korea, which constitutes a clear provocation that seriously threatens peace and stability on the Korean peninsula,” the South Korean general staff had denounced.
The North Korean regime of Kim Jong-un has carried out dozens of launches this year that experts say may be linked to North Korea’s alleged supply of munitions and missiles to Moscow for its war in Ukraine.
The West accuses Pyongyang of supplying weapons to Russia, something the nuclear-armed country denies.
