The South Korean Armed Forces warned Thursday that North Korea has launched three more missiles into the waters of the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea, after launching an intercontinental missile and two short-range missiles that could carry nuclear warheads.
The South Korean government, which has not detailed the characteristics of this latest ballistic test, has warned that the missiles launched earlier could travel thousands of kilometers.
For its part, the Japanese Defense Ministry has confirmed this information and has blamed the test on the decision taken by the United States and South Korea to extend their joint military exercises in the area, maneuvers called ‘Watchful Storm’ which were originally scheduled to end this Friday, according to information from the Kiodo news agency.
However, they have described these actions as «unacceptable» and have indicated that the missiles have reached a maximum height of 150 kilometers after flying over some 500 kilometers.
The Japanese government has again protested to the North Korean embassy in Beijing, the Chinese capital, while the South Korean authorities have condemned these new launches and said they are analyzing the situation in the area.
They have also assured that they are considering the possibility of introducing independent sanctions against Pyongyang for the latest «provocative» actions on the Korean peninsula, which «endanger stability and peace».
PREVIOUS LAUNCH The first missile launched early Thursday morning is an intercontinental projectile, while the other two are short-range and would have been fired from Kaechon, which is located about 90 kilometers from the capital, Pyongyang.
However, South Korean authorities are considering the possibility that the short-range missiles are actually medium-range missiles, according to Yonhap news agency.
Both long-range and intermediate-range missiles can carry nuclear warheads, although the resolutions approved by the United Nations prohibit North Korea from carrying out ballistic tests with projectiles of this range.
Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said that the first of these missiles flew over Japanese territory before falling into the waters of the Sea of Japan. He also warned that one of the missiles has disappeared from the Army’s radars, a matter that is already being investigated.
A total of six missiles were launched on Thursday, in addition to the 25 launched the previous day, according to the news agency.
North Korea regularly accuses the United States of preparing attacks together with South Korean forces in the region, something that has been rejected by both sides. Washington currently has some 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea.
