North Korea fired two rockets on Monday from its latest launcher, claiming it is capable of a \u201ctactical nuclear attack\u201d that can take out entire enemy air bases.
\nIt was North Korea\u2019s second weapons launch in 48 hours, after it fired one of its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) on Saturday, in response to planned US-South Korea military drills.
\nJapan said the ICBM landed in its exclusive economic zone, and its launch prompted the United States and South Korea to stage joint air drills on Sunday.
\nPyongyang said the Korean People\u2019s Army (KPA) conducted the Monday drill in response to those US-South Korean exercises, blaming the allies for the deteriorating security situation, according to a report by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
\n\u201cThrough today\u2019s firing drill with the involvement of super-large multiple rocket launchers, the tactical nuclear attack means, the KPA demonstrated its full readiness to deter and will to counter\u201d the joint air drills, KCNA said.
\nThe South Korean military said it detected the launch of two short-range ballistic missiles on Monday from 7:00-7:11am (2200-2211 GMT Sunday).
\nOne travelled 390 kilometres and the other 340km before they landed in the East Sea, it said, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan.
\nIt described the launches as \u201ca serious provocation that undermines peace and stability on the Korean peninsula\u201d and called on North Korea to stop \u201cimmediately\u201d.
\nNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un\u2019s powerful sister warned the country was closely monitoring Washington and Seoul\u2019s moves to deploy more US strategic assets to the region, vowing \u201ccorresponding counteraction\u201d if Pyongyang deemed such moves a threat.
\n\u201cThe frequency of using the Pacific as our firing range depends upon the US forces\u2019 action character,\u201d Kim Yo Jong said in a statement published by KCNA.
\n\u2018Surprise\u2019 drill
\nPyongyang said its Saturday ICBM launch was a \u201csurprise\u201d drill that demonstrated North Korea\u2019s capacity to carry out a \u201cfatal nuclear counterattack\u201d.
\nJapan said that ICBM flew for 66 minutes and landed in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
\nIn response, Seoul and Washington staged joint air drills on Sunday, featuring a strategic bomber and stealth fighter jets.
\nThe sanctions-busting launch was widely condemned, including on Monday by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who called on Pyongyang to cease \u201cprovocative actions\u201d.
\nNorth Korea gave its soldiers an \u201cexcellent mark\u201d for carrying out the \u201csudden launching drill\u201d on Saturday, but South Korean analysts pointed out that the estimated nine hours between the order and the launch was not particularly rapid.
\nKim Yo Jong dismissed such criticism on Monday as \u201ca bid to undervalue the preparedness of the DPRK missile forces\u201d, she said, using North Korea\u2019s official name.
\nHong Min of the Korea Institute for National Unification told AFP that the angry reaction was part of a pattern of North Korea pushing back against any external analysis of its ICBM capabilities.
\n\u201cKim\u2019s strong and angry reaction to outside assessment of its ICBM launch shows the North really cares about delivering a message that it is capable of hitting the US mainland,\u201d he said.
\nThe Monday launches were North Korea\u2019s response to the US-South Korea air exercise on Sunday, he added.
\nUsing shorter-range missiles indicated North Korea was \u201cvirtually targeting US bases and South Korean command centre in the area\u201d.
\nThe North Korean weapons launches came ahead of a joint US-South Korean tabletop exercise this week, aimed at improving their response in the event of a nuclear attack by Pyongyang.
\nNorth Korea warned last week of an \u201cunprecedentedly\u201d strong response to the planned joint drills by Seoul and Washington, which it describes as preparations for war.
\nRelations between the two Koreas are at one of their lowest points in years, after North Korea declared itself an \u201cirreversible\u201d nuclear state and leader Kim called for an \u201cexponential\u201d increase in weapons production, including tactical nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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