In Latest Escalation, North Korea Fires 2 Short-Range Ballistic Missiles On Friday

According to the South Korean military, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) off its east coast.

North Korea fired missiles when South Korean soldiers were winding up nearly two weeks of exercises to deter its northern neighbour.

There are also suspicions that North Korea is planning its first nuclear test since 2017. In those launches, North Korea tested a record number of missiles, including short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs), intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and others.

The SRBMs were launched from the Tongcheon area of the North's Gangwon province, according to the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), four days after both countries exchanged warning shots at the western coast of the peninsula.

"Our military is maintaining its full preparedness posture," the JCS said in a statement, adding that it has increased monitoring and security while closely coordinating with the US.

The launches did not constitute an immediate threat to the United States or its allies, according to a statement issued by the US military's Indo-Pacific Command. However, it would be a "destabilising impact" of North Korea's illegal weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programmes, according to the report.

According to South Korea's foreign ministry, the nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan spoke by phone and condemned the launches as a provocation and violation of UNSecurity Council resolutions.

"North Korea's nuclear and missile development and deployment would only strengthen security cooperation in the region and worldwide," the South Korean ministry said in a statement, pushing North Korea to return to the negotiating table.

South Korean troops completed the 12-day Hoguk-22 field exercises, which included some manoeuvres with US troops on Friday.

The US Air Force announced that approximately 240 South Korean and US warplanes will begin the Vigilant Storm drills on Monday, flying 1,600 sorties in the biggest number of flights ever conducted for such exercises.