North Korea fires projectiles into sea, South says

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea fired five shortrange projectiles into the sea Monday, Seoul officials said, in a continuation of weapon launches it has carried out in an apparent response to ongoing South Korea-U.S. military drills it sees as a provocation.

The projectiles launched from a site near the northeastern city of Hamhung flew about 200 kilometres before landing in waters off North Korea’s east coast, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. South Korea was attempting to determine whether the projectiles were missiles, artillery or rockets.

The firings came three days after Seoul said North Korea launched its first medium-range ballistic missile into the sea since early 2014, ignoring UN resolutions.

The firings appear to be North Korea’s response to annual springtime U.S.-South Korean military exercises it says are a rehearsal for an invasion. In the past two weeks North Korea has fired several short-range missiles and artillery shells into the sea and threatened pre-emptive nuclear strikes against Washington and Seoul.

This year’s drills are the largest ever, and come after North Korea conducted a nuclear test and a long-range rocket launch this year, leading the UN Security Council to impose its toughest sanctions in two decades.

The U.S. special representative for North Korean policy, Sung Kim, who is visiting Seoul, said Monday that North Korea “should refrain from all provocative actions, including missile tests, which are clearly in violation of Security Council resolutions.”

On Sunday, North Korean state TV broadcast photos showing leader Kim Jong Un supervising landing and defensive drills. The photos showed artillery blazing, navy ships landing as shells fell nearby, and soldiers running with the national flag. North Korea has a history of photo manipulation and there was no way to verify the authenticity of the photos.