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North Korea launched at least two projectiles suspected of being ballistic missiles, officials from South Korea, Japan and the United States said, the first such test reported since US President Joe Biden took office in January.
North Korea’s ballistic missiles are banned under United Nations Security Council resolutions, and if the launch is confirmed, it would pose a further challenge to Joe Biden’s efforts to engage with Pyongyang, which have so far been Rejected.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that at least two “unidentified projectiles” were fired into the sea from South Korea’s Hamgyong province on the east coast.
Intelligence authorities in South Korea and the United States were analyzing the launch data for additional information, the JCS said in a statement.
US officials confirmed to Reuters that North Korea carried out a new missile launch, without providing details on the number or type of projectile detected.
They may have been ballistic missiles, said a spokesman for the Japanese Defense Ministry.
“It has not fallen within Japanese territory and is not believed to have fallen within Japan’s exclusive economic zone,” he said.
Previously, the Japanese coast guard warned ships not to approach any fallen objects and instead asked them to provide information to the coast guard.
Over the weekend, North Korea fired two short-range cruise missiles, officials from the United States and South Korea said, but Biden played down those tests as “business as usual” and officials in Washington said they were still open. to dialogue with Pyongyang.
Joe Biden’s diplomatic proposals to North Korea have not received a response, and Pyongyang said it will not participate until Washington abandons its hostile policies, including holding military exercises with South Korea.
The administration’s North Korean policy review is in its “final stages” and they will host national security advisers from allies Japan and South Korea next week to discuss that, senior US officials said Wednesday.
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