2023-07-22 02:44:35
North Korea fired “several cruise missiles” into the Yellow Sea between the Korean peninsula and China, Yonhap news reported Saturday, citing the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul.
According to Yonhap, the shooting took place around 4 a.m. local time (7 p.m. GMT Friday). It comes three days after those of two ballistic missiles, this time in the Sea of Japan, on the east coast. “South Korean and US intelligence are analyzing the launches,” the news agency added.
This new military test also comes two days after Pyongyang declared that the stopover in South Korea of an American nuclear submarine could “fall under the conditions of use” of its own atomic weapons.
Threats to which Seoul responded the next day, reaffirming that any such attack would mean the “end” of Kim Jong Un’s regime.
“Irreversible” nuclear power
The North Korean leader described his country’s status as a nuclear power in 2022 as “irreversible” and called for strengthening its arsenal, particularly in tactical nuclear weapons.
The latest cruise missile launches come as a US soldier, Travis King, entered North Korea from the south on Tuesday and is possibly being held there by authorities, according to the US military.
The soldier, who was serving a prison sentence in South Korea, had to return to the United States to face disciplinary sanctions. North Korea did not hear from him on Thursday.
The South Korean, American and Japanese leaders are also due to meet in August in the United States to strengthen their cooperation in the face of growing threats from Pyongyang.
During the same month, Washington and Seoul must begin their main joint annual military maneuvers, called Ulchi Freedom Shield. These exercises are very badly perceived by North Korea, which sees in them rehearsals for an invasion of its territory.
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