North Korea has fired short-range ballistic missiles that came along with a visit of US secretary of state Antony Blinken to neighbouring South Korea.
“North Korea fired an unspecified ballistic missile toward the East Sea,” the US government said. The Japanese defence ministry said that North Korea fired three ballistic missiles toward waters off the east coast.
The missile launch comes days after the US and South Korea wrapped up joint military exercises. Pyongyang had termed these exercises as “rehearsals for an invasion”. Around 27,000 US soldiers stationed in South Korea took part in the exercises.
This test is the latest in a series of weapons demonstrations by North Korea this year. This is the first ballistic missile test from North Korea in about two months.
Over the past few months, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has upped the ante against South Korea with moves aimed at flaunting its military might including doing more missile tests, tearing down a monument in Pyongyang that symbolised the hopes of unification among others.
On the anniversary of the founding of North Korea’s military on February 8, he had said that North Korea had the legal right to annihilate South Korea. He has also ruled out dialogue or negotiations with South Korea as said last peace in the region will only come when North Korea becomes a military powerhouse.
The South Korean government led by Yoon Suk Yeol believes that the Communist state would try to raise its profile ahead of elections which are due in April this year.
Yoon’s conservative People Power Party, which backs military cooperation with the US and a tough stance towards the North, is trying to win against the opposition Democratic Party. Various experts are of the view that Kim is trying to push Seoul out of the way and force direct negotiations with Washington.
