North Korea fires unidentified projectile toward sea off east coast, Seoul says
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North Korea fired an unidentified projectile toward the sea off its east coast on Saturday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The launch followed a statement by Kim Yo Jong dismissing Seoul's demand for an apology over North Korean mines that wounded South Korean soldiers. Japan's Defense Ministry said the object may be a ballistic missile.
Key Facts
- North Korea fired an unidentified projectile toward the sea off its east coast on Saturday, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- Japan's Defense Ministry said the launched object may be a ballistic missile, Kyodo reported.
- The launch came after Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, dismissed Seoul's demand for an apology over North Korean mines that seriously wounded South Korean soldiers in the Demilitarised Zone.
- South Korea said this week that North Korean mines caused the blast that seriously injured two South Korean soldiers on a reconnaissance mission inside the 4-km-wide border.
- Two weeks ago, Pyongyang conducted similar tests of two short-range ballistic missiles in the same direction.
The Launch
North Korea fired an unidentified projectile toward the sea off its east coast on Saturday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. The launch was reported by Yonhap, citing the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Japan's Defense Ministry said the launched object may be a ballistic missile, according to Kyodo. Japanese mariners were warned not to approach fallen debris from the projectile.
Regional Tensions
The launch followed a statement by Kim Yo Jong, powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un, that dismissed Seoul's demand for an apology for North Korean mines that seriously wounded South Korean soldiers in the Demilitarised Zone. South Korea said this week that North Korean mines caused the blast that seriously injured two South Korean soldiers on a reconnaissance mission inside the 4-km-wide border. North Korea has sharply ramped up hostility against the South in recent years, disavowing unification as a national goal and calling South Korea its 'primary foe.' Two weeks ago, Pyongyang conducted similar tests of two short-range ballistic missiles in the same direction.