North Korea Launches Ballistic Missiles as US Submarine Arrives in South Korea
SEOUL, July 25 (Reuters) – North Korea fired two ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast late on Monday, South Korea’s military said, hours after a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine arrived in a naval base in the South. The launch was also confirmed by Japan’s defense ministry, which said there may have been multiple missiles launched.
The missile launches come at a time of heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula, as South Korea and the United States increase their military readiness against North Korea’s weapons program. The deployment of U.S. strategic military assets has angered North Korea, who warned that it could meet the criteria for the use of nuclear weapons.
The United States responded to the missile launches by consulting closely with its allies, describing them as destabilizing. The U.S. military stated that there was no immediate threat to U.S. personnel, territory, or allies.
Earlier on Monday, a nuclear-powered U.S. submarine entered a naval base in South Korea’s southern island of Jeju to load military supplies as part of an unspecified operational mission.
This is not the first time North Korea has conducted missile tests in response to the presence of a U.S. submarine in the region. Last week, after a nuclear-armed U.S. submarine arrived at a South Korean port for the first time since the 1980s, North Korea conducted ballistic missile tests.
The situation on the Korean peninsula remains tense as both sides continue to flex their military capabilities. The international community is closely monitoring the situation, and efforts are being made to de-escalate tensions.
Reporting by Jack Kim in Seoul, Chang-Ran Kim in Tokyo, and Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Alison Williams and Andrew Heavens
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