A South Korean military official said today that North Korea had test-fired a pair of short-range missiles into its eastern waters this week in a likely response to the ongoing routine US-South Korean military drills.
The official said that the North has launched what appeared to be KN-02 missiles during its own drills. He did not say when happened. He declined to be named citing intelligence rules.
North Korea routinely launches short-range missiles to improve its arsenal. The latest test comes at a time of rising tension.
Pyongyang has threatened nuclear strikes on Seoul and Washington because of the drills and the recent UN sanctions over its third nuclear test.
According to analysts, Pyongyang’s threats are partly an attempt to push Washington to agree to disarmament-for-aid talks.