SEOUL: North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan from an area around Sunan Airport in Pyongyang on Saturday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

One of the two missiles flew about 400 kilometers, and the other traveled about 350 kilometers, according to Japanese State Minister of Defense Toshiro Ino. Both missiles flew at an altitude of as low as about 50 kilometers, Ino said, adding that they may have traveled on irregular trajectories.

The missiles are believed to have fallen into waters outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, according to Ino.

The latest launch, which came after North Korea fired ballistic missiles also last Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday, may have been intended to respond to recent US-South Korea naval exercises and Friday’s joint anti-submarine drills by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force and the navies of the United States and South Korea.

It is rare for North Korea to fire missiles so frequently during US-South Korea or other exercises. “It is unprecedented that (North Korea) has launched missiles four times in a week,” Ino said.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol did not directly mention Saturday’s missile launch in a speech at an Armed Forces Day ceremony on the day.

But he said that North Korea would face an overwhelming response from the South Korea-US alliance and the South Korean military if it attempts to use nuclear weapons, showing his intention to further strengthen South Korea-US military exercises.

The missiles launched Saturday could be the KN-23 type, similar to the Russian-made Iskander short-range ballistic missile, which flies on an irregular trajectory, informed sources said.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday instructed related ministries and agencies to collect and analyze information on the latest launch, confirm the safety of aircraft and ships, and fully prepare for an unexpected event.

The Japanese government filed a protest against the latest North Korean launch through embassies in Beijing.

JIJI Press