Source : Perth Now news
North Korea has launched a short-range ballistic missile toward the waters off its east coast, South Korea’s military says, the latest in a series of weapons tests by North Korea this year.
The military detected the launch from North Korea’s eastern coastal Wonsan area about 5pm, the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Thursday.
It said South Korea’s military had bolstered its surveillance posture and was closely co-ordinating with the US and Japan.
Japan’s defence ministry also said North Korea fired a possible ballistic missile but there was no impact in or around Japan.
North Korea has been focusing on enlarging its nuclear and missile arsenals since leader Kim Jong-un’s high-stakes diplomacy with US President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019.
Experts say the North Korean leader wants international recognition as a nuclear state so he can demand the lifting of international economic sanctions on North Korea.
In July, Kim supervised tests of a nuclear-capable cruise missile and other weapons aboard a new 5000-tonne destroyer.
After years of prioritising ballistic missile development, Kim has increasingly turned his focus to naval capabilities, including the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine.
While outlining his five-year military goals at the Workers Party congress in February, Kim also called for intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of underwater launches.
In recent years, Kim has also boosted his diplomatic credentials by expanding ties with Russia.
North Korea has supplied conventional weapons and troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.
