N. Korea fires missiles into sea
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea fired two short-range missiles into the sea Thursday, South Korea’s military said, the first weapons launches in more than two months and an apparent pressuring tactic aimed at Washington as North Korean and U.S. officials struggle to restart nuclear negotiations.
The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles that were fired from near the eastern coastal town of Wonsan flew about 270 miles before landing in the waters off the country’s east coast.
A South Korean defense official, requesting anonymity because of department rules, said that an initial South Korean analysis showed both missiles were fired from mobile launchers and flew at a maximum altitude of 30 miles.
The North is unhappy with planned U.S.South Korean military drills that it says are an invasion preparation, and the missile tests may be aimed at sending a message to Washington about what would happen if diplomacy fails.
The timing was also interesting, coming not long after many in the United States were focused on testimony before Congress by Robert Mueller, the former special counsel, about his two-year probe into Russian election interference. And just hours before, U.S. national security adviser John Bolton left Seoul after agreeing with South Korean officials to boost cooperation to achieve North Korea’s denuclearization.
But the missiles’ relatively short flight distance also suggests the launches were not a major provocation, such as a test of a long-range missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, and that North Korea doesn’t appear to be pulling away from U.S.led diplomacy aimed at curbing its nuclear program.
In recent days, North Korea has been pressuring the U.S. and South Korea to scrap their summertime military drills. Last week, the North said it may lift its 20-month suspension of nuclear and long-range missile tests in response to the drills. Trump has considered the weapons moratorium a major achievement in his North Korea policy.
Some experts North Korea’s recent actions are an attempt to get an upper hand ahead of the possible resumption of talks.