Pyongyang Fires Short-Range Missiles Toward East Sea

North Korea fired several missiles with a range of about 100-200 kilometers toward the East Sea Friday morning, Japan's Kyodo News Agency and other news media reported.

It was not immediately known where they landed.

The missiles are presumed to have been fired from an east coastal area in South Hamgyeong Province, Kyodo reported,

The news agency said that the personnel left the site along with the movable vehicles and other communications equipment after the missiles were fired.

The information is based on images available from a U.S. military reconnaissance satellite, Kyodo said, quoting sources from Japan and the U.S.

They are believed to be a modified version of the surface-to-ship Silkworm, or a ballistic missile smaller than the short-range Scud ballistic missile, Kyodo added.

NHK also reported that the missiles were shorter-range and were not North Korea's existing Rodong or Taepodong I ballistic missiles and another Japan's broadcaster NTV reported that the missiles were surface-to-ship types.

NHK analyzed that North Korea’s firing of the missiles may be a countermove to the Aegis destroyer that the South launched Friday afternoon. South Korea has become the fifth nation in the world to have the Aegis destroyer.

“North Korea is believed to fire the missiles as part of a routine drill,” said a South Korean official, refusing to be identified.

North Korea was also confirmed to have fired similar short-range missiles from its east coast in May, 2005.

The action came before South Korea opens the round of ministerial talks on Tuesday.

A Unification Ministry official played down the missile firing as unrelated to the upcoming inter-Korean ministerial talks, local Yonhap News Agency said. "They (the missiles) are believed to be short-ranged,” another official said, adding that the launches "won't affect the ministerial talks."

In July last year, North Korea test-fired seven missiles, including Taepodong II, that landed in the East Sea, despite repeated international warnings not to do so.

The missile tests prompted the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution slapping weapons-related sanctions on the North.

The North has said the missile tests are part of its military exercises, saying it has the right to test weapons at its own discretion.