N. Korean leader says missile launches were ‘warning’ against allies’ joint exercise
SEOUL. KAZINFORM - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said this week's missile launches were an «adequate warning» against the joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States that kicked off earlier this week, state media reported Wednesday, Yonhap reports.
On Tuesday, North Korea fired twoprojectiles believed to be short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea,the fourth such launch in less than two weeks. They flew about 450 kilometersacross the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, according to the Joint Chiefsof Staff (JCS).
«Two tactical guided missileslaunched at the operational airfield in the western area of the country flewacross the sky over the capital area and the central inland region of thecountry to precisely hit the targeted islet in the East Sea,» the KoreanCentral News Agency (KCNA) said.
After watching the launches, Kimsaid its «military action would be an occasion to send an adequate warningto the joint military drill now under way,» according to the KCNA.
«The demonstration fireclearly verified the reliability, security and actual war capacity of thenew-type tactical guided weapon system,» it said.
Kim also took a photo withofficials who «successfully conducted the demonstration fire,» theKCNA said, in a possible sign that the North has completed the development ofthe weapon it described as «new-type tactical guided missile.»
The firings came a day after SouthKorea and the U.S. began their joint military exercise as scheduled, despitethe North's strong complaint against the maneuvers with a series of missilelaunches. The North has long condemned the exercise as a rehearsal forinvasion.
A spokesperson for North Korea'sforeign ministry has also slammed the ongoing drill as a violation of peaceagreements South Korea and the U.S. signed with the North and said Pyongyangcould seek a «new road» if such «hostile military moves»continue.
On Friday, North Korea fired twoshort-range projectiles into the East Sea, just two days after it launched twoshort-range ballistic missiles, according to the JCS. On July 25, Pyongyangalso fired two rounds of a new type of ballistic missile, resuming its weaponstesting after 77 days.
After the July 25 launch, NorthKorea said it fired a new type tactical guided weapon but said it tested a newmultiple launch guided rocket system on July 31 and Friday.
Seoul has said that all the fourlaunches in the past two weeks seemed to have involved short-range ballisticmissiles.