Seoul: North Korea launched ballistic missiles toward the sea Saturday, its neighbours said, a day after the US, South Korea and Japan ended their trilateral military drill that North Korea views as a security threat.
South Korea’s military said it detected the launches of several missiles from North Korea’s eastern coastal Wonsan area. It said South Korea has boosted its surveillance posture and was closely exchanging information on the launches with the US and Japan.
The US Pacific Command said the North’s launch event does not pose an immediate threat to US territory or to its allies. It said the US remains committed to the defence of the US homeland and allies in the region.
South Korea’s military said the five-day Freedom Edge exercise is defensive in nature and meant to enhance a joint response capability against North Korean nuclear threats.
Hours after the drill began Monday, North Korea’s defence minister, Kim Song Gi, criticised the exercise and warned North Korea was capable of taking “strong and reflective countermeasures from the standpoint of power.
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