North Korea launches missiles
SEOUL: North Korea fired three missiles, including one thought to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) yesterday, after US President Joe Biden left Asia following a trip in which he agreed to new measures to deter the nucleararmed state.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the three missiles were fired in less than an hour from the Sunan area of the North’s capital, Pyongyang, where its international airport has become a hub of missile tests.
The first missile launched yesterday appeared to be an ICBM, while a second unidentified missile seemed to have failed midflight, the JCS said. The third missile was a shortrange ballistic missile, it said.
In response, the United States and South Korea held combined livefire drills, including surfacetosurface missile tests involving the Army Tactical Missile System of the US and the South’s Hyunmoo2 SRBM, both militaries said.
South Korean President Yoon Sukyeol, who took office on May 10, convened his first meeting of the national security council, which strongly condemned the latest launch.
A White House official said Biden had been briefed on the launches.
Earlier, Russian and Chinese military planes flew joint patrols near Japanese and South Korea air defence zones in a pointed farewell to Biden as he concluded a trip to Asia that rankled Beijing.
The patrols came hours after Biden angered China by saying he would be willing to respond militarily to defend Taiwan if it came under Chinese attack, and as he discussed responses to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with leaders of the Quad, which groups the United States with Australia, India and Japan.
Japan said it scrambled jets after Russian and Chinese warplanes neared its airspace while Tokyo was hosting the Quad leaders. Tokyo called the drills a provocation. — Reuters