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Seoul: North Korea fires several short-range missiles towards the sea

Seoul: North Korea fires several short-range missiles towards the sea

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Saturday that North Korea fired a number of short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area towards the sea off its eastern coast.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missiles were launched at around 05:20 a.m. (2020 GMT on Friday) and traveled a distance of about 250 kilometers, adding that South Korean and US authorities are conducting a detailed analysis of their characteristics.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff pointed out that South Korean and US intelligence agencies have tracked the launches and exchanged information about them from the beginning, and information regarding the ballistic missiles was also shared with Japan.

The agency said in a statement, "The South Korean military is closely monitoring North Korean activities and maintaining the capability and readiness to respond strongly to any provocation within the framework of its joint defense posture with the United States."

The South Korean presidential office stated that the presidential National Security Office held an emergency security meeting attended by the Ministry of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other relevant agencies following the launch.

The presidential office added that officials reviewed the government's response, assessed the impact of the launches on South Korea's security, and discussed necessary measures. The office urged North Korea to immediately halt its ballistic missile launches, describing them as a serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

On the other hand, the US Indo-Pacific Command said it was aware of the launches and is in close consultation with allies and partners. It explained that the launches, based on its current assessment, do not pose an immediate threat to US personnel, territory, or allies.

The command said in a post on X, "The United States remains committed to defending its territory and allies in the region."

Saturday's launch came a day after South Korea, Japan, and the United States concluded their joint military drills to test their readiness against North Korea's missile and nuclear threats.

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