North Korea fires two ballistic missiles, Seoul says
The North Korean missile launch broadcast on South Korean television.
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Tuesday, Seoul said the day after kicking off the biggest joint exercise with the United States in five years.
Our armed forces have increased their surveillance and vigilance in anticipation of other launches, while standing ready to intervene within the framework of close cooperation between South Korea and the United States, he said. -he adds.
Pyongyang launched two cruise missiles from a submarine on Sunday, on the eve of joint Freedom Shield exercises.
North Korea said the launch was aimed at testing its nuclear deterrents in different spaces, while criticizing drills dubbed Freedom Shield that kicked off Monday for at least ten days.
This type of maneuver, intended according to the two allies to fight against the growing threats from Pyongyang, arouses the ire of North Korea. She views them as dress rehearsals for an invasion of her territory and regularly warns of overwhelming action in response to them.
The South Korean military has indicated that these exercises will involve wartime procedures to repel potential North Korean attacks and conduct a stabilization campaign in the North.
Last week, Washington and Seoul conducted joint air exercises last week with a nuclear-capable US B-52 heavy bomber.
In 2022, the North called its status as a nuclear power irreversible and conducted a record number of ballistic tests in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
Last week, leader Kim Jong-un ordered his army to step up military maneuvers for real war.
Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said that while Pyongyang regularly justifies its missile tests by pointing the finger at military exercises in the South, these also serve a national purpose.
A lot of it is about the Kim regime not appearing weak as it struggles economically at home and South Korea manages to to strengthen its conventional firepower and security partnerships, he told AFP.
As a result, we can expect further shows of force from Pyongyang.
Washington has repeatedly reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to defending South Korea using the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear.
For its part, South Korea wants to appease a public that seems worried about the United States' commitment to so-called extended deterrence, which wants Washington's military means, including nuclear weapons, to be used to prevent attacks against its allies.
Analysts have previously said that North Korea is likely to use the maneuvers as a pretext for more missile launches or even a nuclear test.
More missile launches are to be expected, with variations in style and range, or even a nuclear test. Further acts of intimidation by North Korea should not surprise us, said Chun In bum, a retired South Korean army general.
