North Korea fires multiple cruise missiles off east coast
Al Jazeera
Missile launches come days after Pyongyang announced test of the ‘Pulhwasal-3-31’ strategic cruise missile.
North Korea has fired several cruise missiles off its east coast, South Korean military officials said, continuing a streak of weapons tests that have drawn condemnation from the United States, South Korea and Japan.
The missile launches follow North Korea’s test launch on Wednesday of the strategic cruise missile “Pulhwasal-3-31”, which Pyongyang has suggested is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement on Sunday that it detected several missiles over waters near the North Korean port of Sinpo, where Pyongyang operates a shipyard that manufactures naval assets including missile-firing submarines.
“While strengthening surveillance and vigilance, our military is cooperating closely with the United States and monitoring additional signs and activities from North Korea,” the JCS said.
Pyongyang has ramped up weapons tests in recent weeks, including the launches of a purported “underwater nuclear weapon system” and a solid-fuelled hypersonic ballistic missile.
