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North Korea fires three ballistic missiles after South's test of space launch vehicle

A North Korean flag flies on a mast at the Permanent Mission of North Korea in Geneva October 2, 2014. (Photo by Reuters)

North Korea has fired at least three short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea east of the Korean Peninsula, the South Korean military says.

The projectiles, launched at around 8 a.m. local time (23:00 GMT) Saturday from North Hwanghae Province south of Pyongyang, flew at an altitude of around 100 kilometers and covered a range of around 350 km, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported. South Korean military said the missiles flew about 350 km.

According to Japan's coastguard, at least one missile had fallen into the sea.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol called the incident "intolerable" and warned of "harsh consequences".

The development came a day after South Korea said it conducted the test of a space launch vehicle as part of its drive to strengthen space-based reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities.

Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said, "The purpose of North Korea's missile launch today is to respond to Seoul's solid-fueled space launch vehicle."

Last week, North Korean drones entered South Korean airspace for the first time since 2017, promoting its military to apologize for failing to shoot them down. 

Tensions in the Korean Peninsula have grown since South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's conservative government took over in May, promising a tougher stance toward the North.

North Korea has fired around 70 ballistic missiles this year including about eight intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM).

North Korea maintains that its weapon tests are meant to act as a deterrent against threats posed by the South and its Western allies amid regular war games in the region.

Japan, the US, and South Korea have been ramping up joint military drills. In October, they staged the first trilateral anti-submarine drills in five years.


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