SEOUL (Dispatches) - North Korea fired at least two ballistic missiles on Friday, the third test in two weeks, just hours after criticizing a U.S. push for new sanctions over the previous launches.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had detected what it presumed were two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) launched eastward from North Pyongan Province on the west coast of North Korea.
The launch would be the third since New Year’s day. The previous two were of “hypersonic missiles,” North Korean state media reported, capable of high speeds and manoeuvring after launch.
In contrast to Friday’s tests, each of those earlier launches involved a single missile which were fired from Jagang Province, neighboring North Pyongyang.
North Korea defended the missile tests as its legitimate right to self-defense and said the United States was intentionally escalating the situation by imposing new sanctions, state media reported earlier on Friday, citing the foreign ministry.
North Korea’s recent development of a “new-type weapon” was just part of its efforts to modernize its national defense capability, and did not target any specific country or harm the security of neighboring countries, the foreign ministry said in a statement on the KCNA state news agency.
The statement warned of an unspecified “stronger and certain reaction” if the United States adopts a confrontational stance.
On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called North Korea’s latest missile tests “profoundly destabilizing” and stated that Washington is working with South Korea, Japan and the United Nations to respond to the move.
“We are very focused with allies and partners in making sure that they and we are properly defended and that there are repercussions, consequences for these actions by North Korea,” Blinken said, after North Korea reportedly fired two ballistic missiles early Friday.
South Korea’s army leadership said the weapon was fired toward the east but did not provide other details. Japan’s Prime Minister’s Office and the Defense Ministry also said they detected the North Korean launch and said it was possibly a ballistic missile.
Earlier, North Korea said its missile tests were its legitimate right to self-defense and warned of a strong response if Washington pressed ahead with its provocative move to impose new sanctions on Pyongyang.
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday imposed its first sanctions. Washington also called on the United Nations Security Council to take action against several North Korean individuals and entities accused of violating resolutions that ban North Korea’s missile and nuclear weapons development.