N. Korea fires more missiles
By Kang Seung-woo
North Korea fired seven short-range projectiles into the sea off its eastern coast Tuesday from multiple rocket launchers in an apparent protest against the ongoing joint South Korean-U.S. military drills, according to the defense ministry.
“The North fired off three short-range projectiles using a 240 mm multiple rocket launcher at around 6 a.m. from Wonsan on its southeastern coast,” ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said. They flew about 55 kilometers in a northeasterly direction.
“Around 4:17 p.m., the North fired four more projectiles from an area near Wonsan, again in a northeasterly direction, and they flew around 155 kilometers,” Kim said.
The ministry speculated that they could have been a new KN-09 launcher firing 300-milimeter rockets with a maximum range of about 180 kilometers.
As the KN-09 can fire several missiles in short succession, the launcher is seen as a serious threat to South Korean and U.S. troops, including U.S. bases in Pyeongtaek and Osan, located some 160 kilometers from the demilitarized zone.
According to a December report by the Institute for National Security Strategy (ISS), the North has increased its fleet of multiple rocket launchers near the inter-Korean maritime border in the west coast.
“The 300-milimeter multiple rocket launcher was developed to strike South Korea’s strategic facilities and hinder reinforcements by U.S. forces in a time of war,” a senior military official said.
It is the latest military action in a series of short-range missile launches in less than a week.
On Thursday, the North fired four Scud missiles that flew 220 kilometers in a northeast direction, followed by two other Scuds on Monday. They were evaluated to have flown over 500 kilometers.
The U.S. Defense Department said that the launches were in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. U.S. State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the U.S. wants Pyongyang to refrain from provocative actions and focus on fulfilling its international obligations.
The recent North Korean “provocations” are seen as a response to the ongoing joint South Korean-U.S. military drills.
"North Korea displayed a show of force against the Key Resolve exercise with weapons of varying ranges. The South Korean and U.S. forces are mobilizing intelligence assets to closely monitor possibilities of additional provocations,” ministry spokesman Kim said.
South Korean and U.S. forces last week began the two-week-long Key Resolve, a command-post exercise that ensures the ROK-U.S. alliance is prepared to defend South Korea, while the ongoing Foal Eagle field training exercise will run through April 18.
The North calls the military drill a rehearsal for an invasion of the Stalinist country.
Pyongyang had issued near-daily threats during last year's joint drills that were held following its third nuclear test, prompting the U.S. to send high-profile nuclear bombers and stealth jets to the Korean Peninsula in a show of force.