North Korea launched two ballistic missiles from its eastern coast on Sunday, the second test in about a week. The launch came a few days after Pyongyang accused Washington of escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula through a series of military exercises.
Three hours after the first launch, the South Korean Ministry of Defence said a second, initially unidentified projectile had been fired. The Joint Chiefs of Staff of the South Korean military stated that the first test was observed in the area of the port city of Wonsan at 15:00 local time, and it was determined to be a ballistic missile. The Japanese Ministry of Defence also stated that the projectile appeared to be ballistic, with Japanese public broadcaster NHK reporting that it landed near Japan's exclusive economic zone.
The first missile flew approximately 450km, with the South Korean military stating it appeared to be a Hwasong-11 missile. The second short-range ballistic missile flew over 600km, the Yonhap news agency reported later on Sunday, citing the South Korean military. South Korean and US intelligence services are monitoring the situation from the initial launch phase and have also shared information with Japan regarding the North Korean ballistic missile, the joint staff said.
The South Korean National Security Council condemned the launch, which followed a test on 12 September. The council called on Pyongyang to immediately cease its missile activities, warning that the tests directly violated United Nations Security Council resolutions. Japan lodged a protest through diplomatic channels, according to the Japanese newspaper Nikkei. The Japanese defence minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, stated that the series of actions by North Korea threatened the peace and security of Japan, the region, and the international community.
North Korea rejected a resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency on Monday targeting Pyongyang's nuclear programme. Pyongyang had previously condemned the US-led military exercises in which South Korea and Japan participated, which took place from 29 August to 10 September near Guam. Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, on Friday blamed the US-led military exercises for the heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, and stated that Pyongyang would not abandon its intention to strengthen its nuclear arsenal.
