North Korea has fired missiles into the sea in response to a United States military exercise.
Around 10 ballistic missiles were fired from near Pyongyang’s international airport on Saturday as a show of force after a joint military exercise between US and South Korea.
They flew around 220 miles before landing in the Sea of Japan, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
It came just hours after South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met with President Donald Trump in Washington.
North Korea has long branded the exercises as invasion rehearsals. Pic: Reuters
South Korea has since ramped up its surveillance in response.
And experts fear Saturday’s launches could undermine the diplomatic efforts made by both sides.
The US and South Korea are currently participating in Freedom Shield, an 11-day shared military exercise held between both sides every March.
South Korean Army soldiers fire a machine gun mounted on a K1A2 tank during the exercise. Pic: Reuters
North Korea has long described them as invasion rehearsals – often citing them as a reason to dial up weapons testing.
Only last Tuesday leader Kim Jong Un’s sister criticised Washington and Seoul for proceeding with their drills during a period of such global uncertainty.
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Kim Yo Jong said they undermine regional stability at a time when the global security structure is “collapsing rapidly and wars break out in different parts of the world due to the reckless acts of outrageous international rogues.”
In recent months they have hardened their stance towards Seoul and are now urging Washington to drop denuclearisation demands as a precondition for talks.
And just this week Mr Kim was pictured alongside his teenage daughter as the country carried out missile tests from a naval destroyer.
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A missile is fried from the North Korean Choe Hyon, a year-old naval destroyer, earlier this week. Pic: KCNA/AP
It comes amid speculation that the US is planning to relocate some missile defences to the country as part of its intensifying war with Iran.
But South Korea has been quick to insist this would not affect its defence posture against its northern neighbours.
