North Korea fired a ballistic missile off its east coast on Friday, South Korea’s military said, a day after South Korea and the US launched powerful fighter jets as part of a joint exercise, AP News reports.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff statement did not provide any additional details about the North Korean launch. For example, there is no information on how far the missile travelled.
North Korea has been conducting weapons tests at an accelerated pace in recent months as it continues to build up its military capabilities. According to military analysts, North Korea probably believes its modernised weapons arsenal will enable it to extract more concessions from the US if talks resume.
Kim Jong Un oversaw another test launch of a new multiple rocket launcher system last week, North Korean state media reported.
North Korea says it has to increase its nuclear and missile programmes to counter rising geopolitical tensions in the region. North Korea cites the expanded US-South Korean military exercises, which it calls rehearsals for an invasion.
On Thursday, two South Korean F-35As and two US F-22 Raptors were mobilised for joint air exercises over the central region of South Korea.
Rising tensions and mutual accusations between the Koreas
Tensions in the region began to rise markedly in late 2023. Meanwhile, Pyongyang has conducted a series of missile tests as part of the development of its nuclear programme, marking a record number of intercontinental ballistic missile launches, which the UN Security Council resolution prohibits. In addition, the DPRK sent a reconnaissance satellite for the first time in response to the increasing military co-operation between Seoul, Tokyo and Washington.
As a result, South Korea for its part suspended the 2018 inter-Korean agreement, a military pact designed to reduce tensions near the military border. It included, among other things, imposing no-fly zones, disarming some checkpoints, maintaining hotlines, and banning drills near the border. Recently, the two sides have exchanged threats of using nuclear weapons against each other.
