Photo : YONHAP News
North Korea fired more than 10 ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Saturday.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launches were detected at around 1:20 p.m. from the Sunan area near Pyongyang.
Seoul said it has stepped up surveillance and is closely sharing information with the United States and Japan, while South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities analyze the missiles’ specifications and flight ranges.
The launch marked North Korea’s first ballistic missile test in 47 days since a launch on January 27. It was also the North’s third missile launch this year.
Firing more than 10 missiles in a single salvo is considered unusual and is widely viewed as a show of force.
The launch came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump expressed interest in dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Trump reportedly told South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok that he maintains good relations with Kim Jong-un and questioned whether the North Korean leader is willing to resume talks with Washington.
Analysts say the launch may also be intended to protest the ongoing South Korea-U.S. joint military exercise Freedom Shield. The large-scale drills began on March 9 and are scheduled to run through March 19.