North Korea fires two missiles, US condemns series of tests

North Korea fired what appeared to be two ballistic missiles on Thursday, drawing criticism from the United States over the sixth round of North Korean missile tests this month.

The series of missile tests is one of the biggest ever launched by North Korea in a month, according to analysts, as the country kicks off 2022 with a dizzying display of new operational weaponry.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch of what it assumed were two ballistic missiles at around 8 am local time from the Hamhung region on North Korea’s east coast. The projectiles traveled for about 190 km to an altitude of 20 km, the JCS added.

North Korea announced this month that it would step up its defenses against the United States and is considering resuming “all activities that had been temporarily suspended”, in an apparent reference to a self-imposed moratorium on tests of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles.

The launch came after North Korea fired two cruise missiles into the sea from its east coast on Tuesday, adding to tensions over the tests.

Earlier this month, North Korea tested tactical guided missiles, two “hypersonic missiles” capable of maneuvering and reaching high speeds after launch, and a rail missile launch system.

“The Kim Jong Un regime is developing an impressive diversity of offensive weapons despite limited resources and economic challenges,” said Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international affairs at Ewha University in Seoul.

Some tests seek to develop new capabilities, especially those to evade missile defenses, while other launches try to demonstrate the readiness and versatility of missiles that North Korea has already highlighted, he said.

“Some observers have already suggested that the Kim regime’s frequent launches are a cry for attention, but Pyongyang is running hard in what it sees as an arms race against Seoul,” Easley said.

In a speech to the United Nations (UN)-sponsored Conference on Disarmament on Tuesday, North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Han Tae Song, accused the United States of promoting hundreds of “joint warfare exercises”. ” while sending high-tech offensive military equipment to South Korea and strategic nuclear weapons to the region.

“This is seriously threatening the security of our state,” Han said.

A US State Department spokesperson condemned the launches as a violation of several UN Security Council resolutions and as a threat to North Korea’s neighbors and the international community.

The United States remains committed to a diplomatic approach and asks North Korea to participate in the dialogue, the spokesman said.