North Korea fires short-range missile, says South
Seoul, Mar 7 (EFE).- North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile into the Yellow Sea on Thursday, South Korea’s military said.
The missile launch comes days before South Korea begins a large-scale military exercise with the United States next week.
The launch took place around 6.20 p.m. local time from the western coastal city of Nampo, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) of South Korea said in a statement.
The South Korean military did not provide more details about the launch and said it would continue to monitor the situation.
“While strengthening its monitoring and vigilance, our military is maintaining a full readiness posture in close cooperation with the United States,” the JCS said, as per the local Yonhap news agency.
The two allies plan to start their joint Freedom Shield spring exercises on Monday.
North Korea has objected to the war games, saying the US and the South were preparing for an invasion.
Last month, in a show of military might, the US and South Korea conducted air defense drills using American B-52 strategic heavy bombers and South Korean F-15 and F16 fighters.
North Korea threatened an “overwhelming response” in response to the preparations for a “war of aggression” by the allies.
Last month, the Kim Jong-un regime warned the US and South Korea of an “unprecedentedly” strong reaction if they went ahead with the planned joint drills.
The US-South Korea defense exercises have escalated military tensions on the peninsula.
On Feb.23, North Korea fired four strategic cruise missiles toward the Sea of Japan. EFE
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