The missile launch came hours after South Korea said the North floated flying balloons – believed to be carrying rubbish – across the border for a second day in a row
North Korea has launched what may be a ballistic missile, Japanese and South Korean officials have said.
Ships are being warned they should pay close attention to future information, and if they notice any fallen objects, they should inform the Japanese Coast Guard South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launch was made on Wednesday morning but gave no further details. Japan’s Defence Ministry also said that North Korea launched a suspected ballistic missile but gave no further details.
The launch came hours after South Korea said North Korea floated flying balloons likely to be carrying rubbish across the border for a second consecutive day. It also came before the start of a new trilateral military training exercise involving the United States, South Korea and Japan. It comes after South Korea said the north was flying balloons likely carrying trash over the border for a second consecutive day despite the South’s threat to retaliate with anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts in border areas.
The development comes as the latest round of Cold War-style campaigns between the rival Koreas is flaring after North Korea recently signed a major defence deal with Russia that experts say could embolden the North to direct more provocations at its southern neighbour.
A US aircraft carrier temporarily docked at a South Korea port is to leave on Wednesday for a new trilateral military training involving the United States, South Korea and Japan. North Korea’s military on Monday called the carrier’s deployment “reckless” and “dangerous.”
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the balloons were moving southeast on Tuesday night after crossing the border. It asked the South Korean public not to touch any North Korean balloons that fall to the ground and to report them to police or military authorities.
Seoul’s city government later sent text messages to residents, telling them the balloons had reached the city, about an hour’s drive from the border, and urging them to be beware of any falling objects.
The balloons are North Korea’s sixth launch since late May. North Korea says the balloons activities are a tit-for-tat response to South Korean activists flying political leaflets via balloons.
On Monday night, about 100 North Korean balloons eventually landed on South Korean soil, mostly in Seoul and nearby areas. The trash carried by those balloons was largely paper and no hazardous items were discovered, according to South Korea’s military.