North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles on Wednesday, Seoul’s military said, the latest launch which comes as South Korea and the United States set major joint military exercises.
The South Korean military has detected multiple cruise missiles launched into the East Sea by North Korea, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan. The statement added that detailed specifications are being analyzed by South Korea-US intelligence authorities.
After a record year of weapons tests and rising nuclear threats from North Korea, South Korea, and the United States have built up security cooperation, and on March 13 launch their biggest joint military drills in five years.
Known as Freedom Shield, the exercises conduct for at least 10 days. South Korea’s military said it would “successfully complete the planned joint Freedom Shield drills under a firm joint defense posture.”
North Korea considers all such drills as rehearsals for invasion, saying they could be seen as a “declaration of war” and has repeatedly threatened to take “overwhelming” steps in response.
Wednesday’s launch comes about a week after North Korea test-fired its largest and most influential missile, a Hwasong-17 — its second ICBM test this year. The North Korean state media defined the ICBM launch as a response to the constant, “frantic” US-South Korea drills.
North Korea announced itself last year an “irreversible” nuclear power and leader Kim Jong Un recently called for “exponential” growth in weapons production, including tactical nuclear weapons. Kim also instructed the North Korean military this month to strengthen drills to prepare for a “real war”.
