North Korea fires two ballistic missiles, escalating tensions, says South Korea By Reuters

By Heekyong Yang and Junko Fujita

SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) -North Korea fired two ballistic missiles in direction of the ocean off the Korean Peninsula’s east coast on Sunday, mentioned South Korea and Japan, prompting South Korea’s presidential workplace to “strongly condemned” Pyongyang for escalating tensions.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Workers (JCS) mentioned the 2 medium-range missiles flew about 500 kms (311 miles).

Japan’s Vice Defence Minister Toshiro Ino mentioned the missiles appeared to have landed exterior Japan’s unique financial zone (EEZ) and there had been no report of damages.

“North Korea’s ballistic missiles had been launched at steep angles and landed within the East Sea,” South Korea’s JCS mentioned in a press release.

“South Korean and the USA intelligence authorities are conducting an intensive evaluation, factoring current tendencies associated to North Korea’s missile improvement.”

South Korea convened a Nationwide Safety Council (NSC) assembly over North Korea’s missile launch and “strongly condemned” for escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, South Korea’s presidential workplace mentioned in a press release.

The presidential workplace added that the North’s continued provocations and improvement of nuclear weapons and missiles would additional endanger the North Korean regime.

The North’s missile launch comes simply days after the nation examined a high-thrust solid-fuel engine that specialists mentioned would enable faster and extra cell launch of ballistic missiles, because it seeks to develop a brand new strategic weapon and velocity up its nuclear and missile programmes.

The take a look at, overseen by chief Kim Jong Un, was performed on Thursday at North Korea’s Sohae Satellite tv for pc Launching Floor which has been used to check missile applied sciences, together with rocket engines and area launch autos, the official KCNA information company reported on Friday.

North Korea has performed an unprecedented variety of missile exams this 12 months, together with an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) able to reaching the U.S. mainland, regardless of worldwide bans and sanctions.

In November, North Korea test-fired an ICMB that Japanese officers mentioned had adequate vary to succeed in the mainland of the USA and that landed simply 200 kms (130 miles) off Japan

Japan on Friday unveiled its greatest navy build-up since World Struggle Two with a $320 billion plan that may purchase missiles able to placing China and prepared it for sustained battle.