SEOUL – North Korea fired several cruise missiles off its east coast on Wednesday (22/3/2023), South Korea’s military said. This is the latest in a series of weapons tests in which South Korean and US troops conducted joint military exercises. “The missiles were fired at around 10:15 (0115 GMT) from South Hamgyong province in the North,” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, as quoted by Reuters.
It was not immediately clear how many projectiles were fired and what kind. “The military is on high alert and South Korean and US intelligence authorities are analyzing details of the missile,” the JCS statement continued.
“We will successfully complete our Freedom Shield exercise as planned under a solid joint defense posture,” the South Korean military said in a statement. The Allies will end their 11 day exercise, called “Shield of Freedom 23” on Thursday (23/3/2023).
Wednesday’s launch comes just three days after North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile into the sea off its east coast.
North Korea has long been angry at drills being carried out by South Korean and US troops, saying they are preparing for an invasion of North Korea.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said Wednesday’s launch could involve North Korea’s strategic cruise missile. “Strategic” is usually used to describe weapons that have nuclear capability.
North Korea’s last known firing of a strategic cruise missile was on March 12, when the country reportedly fired two missiles from a submarine.
North Korea has stepped up its military tests in recent weeks, firing an intercontinental ballistic missile last week and carrying out a simulated nuclear counterstrike against the US and South Korea over the weekend.
Source: SINDOnews