North Korea fires ‘short-range ballistic missiles’
North Korea has fired two missiles into the sea, which South Korea’s military believe to be short-range ballistic missiles.
It is the fifth launch of its kind in recent weeks, and if confirmed, would be a breach of 11 UN security council resolutions.
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The two missiles were fired at 5:34am and 5:50am local time, or 8:34pm and 8:50pm GMT on Friday evening, from near the eastern city of Hamhung.
They flew around 400km (250 miles) at an altitude of about 48km, with a maximum speed of more than Mach 6.1, before landing in the Sea of Japan, to the east of the Korean peninsula, a statement from South Korean military said.
North Korea has launched a series of missiles since leader Kim Jong-Un agreed in June to restart denuclearisation negotiations with US President Donald Trump.
It comes just days after Trump revealed that the North Korea leader had sent him a “beautiful” letter.
“It was a very positive letter,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “I think we’ll have another meeting. He really wrote a beautiful, three-page – I mean great from top to bottom – a really beautiful letter.”
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But the North Korea regime has expressed anger at the US-South Korean joint military drills, which are not due to get underway until Sunday, although low-key preparations have begun.
North Korea believe these violate agreements reached with Trump and South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in.