N. Korea fires 3 short-range projectiles toward East Sea: JCS
SEOUL. KAZINFORM - North Korea fired three short-range projectiles into the East Sea on Monday in what was believed to be part of a joint strike exercise, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, Yonhap reports.
The projectiles were fired northeastward from areas near its eastern town of Sondok in South Hamgyong Province at around 7:36 a.m, the JCS said, adding that they flew around 200 kilometers, reaching a maximum altitude of around 50 km.
The launches came a week after the North conducted similar firings on March 2.
«The launches appear to be part of its artillery strike drill involving multiple types of multiple rocket launchers for a wintertime exercise, following the previous ones staged on Feb. 28 and March 2,» the JCS said in a release.
The South Korean and the U.S. intelligence authorities have been analyzing other specifics, it said, adding that the military is «monitoring the situation in case there are additional launches and maintaining a readiness posture.»
On March 2, the North fired two short-range projectiles from its super-large multiple rocket launcher under the guidance of Kim Jong-un during its strike drill. It also conducted such an outdoor drill three days earlier.
So far, North Korea has tested the system five times, including the test last Monday. Sondok is where the North conducted the first known test of the system in August 2019.
The presidential office held an emergency meeting of security-related ministers via a video conference, presided over by Chung Eui-yong, director of national security at the presidential office, and analyzed the North's intention and the overall security circumstances, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
The latest firings came just five days after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a personal letter to President Moon Jae-in and wished him and other South Koreans good health amid the massive outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
Such a conciliatory gesture came as a surprise as Kim's younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, had issued a statement just the previous day blasting Moon's office as «gangster-like» and «foolish» for complaining about Pyongyang's recent projectile launches.