North Korea Steps Up Missile Tests With New Ballistic Launch
North Korea launched another ballistic missile Tuesday, marking the country's second reported ballistic missile test in less than a week as regional tensions remain elevated. According to Fox News , Japan's prime…
North Korea launched another ballistic missile Tuesday, marking the country's second reported ballistic missile test in less than a week as regional tensions remain elevated.
According to Fox News, Japan's prime minister's office announced the launch, but officials had not immediately released details about the missile's flight path, range or landing location.
The U.S. military said it was tracking the launch and coordinating with allies and partners in the region. U.S. Pacific Command said its initial assessment found no immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory or to allied nations.
"We are aware of the recent missile launch and are consulting closely with our allies and partners," the command said. "The United States remains committed to the defense of the U.S. homeland and our allies in the region."
The latest launch follows a short-range ballistic missile test conducted by North Korea on Aug. 5 from the eastern coastal area of Wonsan.
That missile landed in waters off North Korea's east coast and did not reach Japanese territory, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said at the time.
Koizumi called North Korea's repeated missile activity a threat to Japan and the wider region. Tokyo also filed a protest with Pyongyang through diplomatic channels in Beijing.
South Korea responded to the earlier launch by increasing surveillance and coordinating with the United States and Japan. Seoul's presidential national security council described the test as "a provocation" and said it violated U.N. Security Council resolutions.
The latest missile activity comes as the United States and South Korea prepare for their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises, which are generally held during the second half of August.
U.S. and South Korean officials describe the drills as defensive training designed to strengthen the countries' combined military readiness and ability to respond to security threats.
North Korea has long criticized the exercises, portraying them as preparation for an invasion. Pyongyang has frequently responded to U.S.-South Korean military drills with weapons tests.
The Aug. 5 launch was North Korea's first reported ballistic missile test since late June. During those earlier tests, North Korean state media said the military had tested a tactical ballistic missile carrying a "special mission" warhead.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said afterward that the country's military needed to strengthen its "deadly and destructive offensive posture."
Tuesday's launch adds to the recent series of weapons tests as Washington, Seoul and Tokyo continue monitoring North Korea's military activity.