North Korea Launches Ballistic Missiles Towards Sea Off East Coast

North Korea Launches Multiple Ballistic Missiles Off Eastern Coast

South Korea’s military reported that multiple ballistic missiles were fired from the eastern Sinpo area on Sunday, marking the seventh such launch this year and the fourth in April. The incident occurred at approximately 6:10am local time (21:10 GMT) near the city of Sinpo on North Korea’s east coast.

According to South Korean officials, the country has increased its surveillance posture and is sharing information with the United States and Japan. Japan’s government stated that the ballistic missiles were believed to have fallen near the east coast of the Korean Peninsula, but no incursion into Japan’s exclusive economic zone was confirmed.

South Korea’s presidential office reported an emergency security meeting in response to the incident. The launches are in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding North Korea’s missile program. However, North Korea rejects these bans, citing its sovereign right to self-defence.

The recent launches come ahead of a summit between China and the US, scheduled for mid-May, where Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump will discuss North Korea. According to International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi, North Korea has made significant advances in nuclear capabilities, including the probable addition of a new uranium enrichment facility.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently stated that his country’s status as a nuclear-armed state is irreversible, and expanding its “self-defensive nuclear deterrent” is essential to national security.

Source: Al Jazeera