North Korea test-fires ballistic missiles for fourth time in a month, despite US approach
NORTH KOREA fired what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast yesterday, the fourth such launch this month, as the world is distracted by the coronavirus outbreak.
The string of weapons drills came as a prolonged hiatus in disarmament talks with the US dragged on, and despite recent overtures from Washington
offering help to contain the pandemic. South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said the North fired the two projectiles, presumed to be ballistic missiles, from the port city of Wonsan into the Sea of Japan.
“Such military action by North Korea is an extremely inappropriate act when the entire world is having difficulties due to the Covid-19 outbreak,” they added in a statement. Tokyo’s defence ministry said the projectiles fell short of Japanese waters and the country’s exclusive economic zone.
The nuclear-armed North has yet to issue a statement on the launches but attributed its three others this month to “long-range artillery” drills. All the missiles fired landed in the Sea of Japan.
Last week the regime fired what Seoul said were two short-range ballistic missiles, describing them as a new “tactical guided weapon”. North Korean state media announced the following day that Kim Jong-un, the country’s leader, had received a letter from Donald Trump, the US president, detailing a plan to develop ties – a move later confirmed by a White House official.
The report cited Kim Yo-jong, Kim’s powerful sister, who warned that the apparently good personal relationship between the two leaders would not be enough to foster broader relations. Mr Trump “explained his plan to propel the relations between the two countries... and expressed his intent to render cooperation in the anti-epidemic work,” she said in a statement via the Korean Central News Agency. But she added: “Big difficulties and challenges lie ahead in the way of developing ties.”
North Korea is one of the few remaining countries in the world yet to report a single case of novel coronavirus infection.