North Korea launches short-range missiles into East Sea

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North Korea launches short-range missiles into East Sea

A television screen shows North Korea's missile launch during a news program on Jan. 6 at Seoul Station in central Seoul. [YONHAP]

A television screen shows North Korea's missile launch during a news program on Jan. 6 at Seoul Station in central Seoul. [YONHAP]

 
North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) into the East Sea on Tuesday, the South’s military said.  
 
The missiles, believed to be SRBMs, were detected at approximately 9:30 a.m., launched from the Gangye area in North Korea's Jagang Province, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The missiles flew approximately 250 kilometers (155 miles) before landing in the East Sea.
 
“The military has strengthened surveillance and vigilance to prepare for additional launches while maintaining a robust readiness posture and sharing information about North Korea's SRBMs with the United States and Japan,” the JCS said in a statement.  
 
Acting President Choi Sang-mok condemned the missile launches as a "clear violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions."
 
"The government will respond more decisively to North Korea’s provocations, based on our steadfast security posture and the South Korea-U.S. alliance," Choi said at a Cabinet meeting at the Government Complex in Seoul.
 
This marks North Korea's second weapons test this year, following its launch of a medium-range hypersonic solid-fuel ballistic missile just eight days earlier on Jan. 6. The JCS reported that the missile traveled 1,100 kilometers before landing in the East Sea — showcasing its capability to strike targets like Guam, a critical U.S. military base. 
 
Analysts suggest that the timing of these provocations may be intended to escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula, coinciding with the lead-up to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, scheduled for Jan. 20.  
 
However, a South Korean Unification Ministry official offered a more nuanced perspective during a closed-door briefing, noting it is generally "difficult" to interpret short-range missile launches as a direct message to the United States.
 
The official also refrained from labeling the launches as a message targeting South Korea, suggesting broader considerations may be at play.
 
“It is possible these launches are driven by their need to fulfill missile technology development goals," the official added. "It’s important to assess the situation comprehensively, and at this stage, it would be inappropriate to offer a definitive evaluation."  
 
Update, Jan. 14: Added the flight distance of the missiles and comments from the JCS, Acting President Choi Sang-mok and a South Korean Unification Ministry official.

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]
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