S.Korea, U.S. launch eight missiles in response to North Korea missile tests

SEOUL, June 6 (Reuters) – South Korea and the United States stated they fired eight surface-to-surface missiles early on Monday off South Korea’s east coast, responding to a barrageof short-range ballistic missiles launched by North Korea on Sunday.

The motion is an indication of “the potential and readiness to perform precision strikes” in opposition to the supply of North Korea’s missile launches or the command and help centres, South Korea’s Yonhap information company cited the South Korean navy as saying.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took workplace final month, has vowed to take a harder line in opposition to the North and agreed with U.S. President Joe Biden at a May summit in Seoul to improve joint navy drills and their mixed deterrence posture. read more

North Korea has carried out a flurry of missile launches this 12 months and Yoon stated its missile and nuclear weapons programmes have reached a stage at which they pose a menace to regional and world peace.

The South “will continue to build fundamental and practical security capabilities and deter the North’s nuclear and missile threats,” Yoon stated at an occasion for South Korea’s Memorial Day.

The militaries of South Korea and the United States fired eight surface-to-surface missiles over about 10 minutes beginning at 4:45 a.m. on Monday (1945 GMT Sunday) in response to the eight missiles fired by the North on Sunday, Yonhap reported.

An official from South Korea’s Defence Ministry confirmed eight Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) had been fired.

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command stated the train included one U.S. Army missile and 7 from South Korea.

“The ROK-U.S. Alliance stays dedicated to peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and all through the Indo-Pacific,” it stated in a press release, utilizing the initials of South Korea’s official identify.

RECIPROCAL EXERCISES

North Korea’s short-range ballistic missiles, fired towards the ocean off its east coast on Sunday, had been in all probability its largest single take a look at and got here a day after South Korea and the United States ended joint navy drills. read more

The South Korea-U.S. bilateral workout routines concerned an American plane service for the primary time in greater than 4 years.

Japan and the United States additionally carried out a joint navy train on Sunday in response to the newest North Korea missile tests.

North Korea, which is a number of weeks into battling its first identified outbreak of COVID-19, has criticised earlier joint drills for example of Washington’s continued “hostile insurance policies” towards Pyongyang, regardless of its speak of diplomacy.

Yonhap, citing an unidentified supply, stated the North’s volley on Sunday was launched from 4 places, together with Sunan in the capital, Pyongyang.

Leif-Eric Easley, a world research professor at Ewha University in Seoul stated South Korea’s present missile defences are inadequate in opposition to the increasing North Korean menace.

“This calls not just for additional investments in {hardware} but additionally a extra multilayered strategy coordinated with Japan and diplomatic efforts with Beijing to scale back arms race dynamics with Pyongyang.”

North Korea continued with its current pattern of not reporting on missile launches in state media, which some analysts have stated is supposed to present the tests are a part of routine navy drills.

Washington and Seoul officers additionally just lately warned North Korea appeared prepared to resume nuclear weapons tests for the primary time since 2017.

Last month, North Korea fired three missiles, together with one thought to be its largest ICBM, the Hwasong-17, after Biden ended an Asia journey the place he agreed to new measures to deter the nuclear-armed state.

Joint South Korean and U.S. forces fired missiles in response to these tests too, which the 2 allies say are violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Last month, the United States referred to as for extra U.N. sanctions on North Korea over its ballistic missile launches, however China and Russia vetoed the suggestion, publicly splitting the U.N. Security Council on North Korea for the primary time because it began punishing it in 2006, when North Korea carried out its first nuclear take a look at.

Reporting by Jack Kim and Choi Soo-hyang in Seoul; Additional reporting by Eric Beech; Writing by Lincoln Feast; Editing by Tom Hogue, Neil Fullick and Gerry Doyle

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