S Korea says North fired two projectiles; Kim Jong Un observes missile test

dpa Seoul North Korea has fired two projectiles towards the sea, the South Korean military said on Sunday according to news agency Yonhap. North Korea la...

dpa Seoul North Korea has fired two projectiles towards the sea, the South Korean military said on Sunday according to news agency Yonhap.North Korea launched the projectiles at 6 pm (0900 GMT)on Saturday, the agency cited the military as saying. The projectiles flew 110 kilometres at top altitude of 25 kilometres at the same speed as missiles launched on March 4, the agency cited the military as saying.South Korea and Japan said the March 4 launch was of a ballistic missile.Experts suspect that Saturday’s launch could also have been of short-range ballistic missiles.Earlier on Sunday, North Korean state media had said that leader Kim Jong Un had “observed the test-fire of a new-type tactical guided weapon.” KCNA did not specify when the test took place, but said it was “carried out successfully.” The new weapon system is “of great significance in drastically improving the firepower of the frontline long-range artillery units,” KCNA said, adding that it enhanced “the efficiency in the operation of tactical nukes of [North Korea] and diversification of their firepower missions.” North Korean leader Kim said the tests were aimed at boosting the country’s nuclear defence capabilities, according to KCNA. North Korea also tested a suspected intercontinental missile in late March in defiance of UN resolutions that ban the testing of nuclear-capable missiles of any range. The country is subject to strict sanctions on account of its nuclear weapons programme.In January 2021, Kim had called for the development of tactical nuclear weapons as well as nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) which could also reach the US.Tactical nuclear weapons belong to a large spectrum of non-strategic nuclear weapons, with significantly shorter ranges.According to experts, North Korea’s short-range missiles are primarily intended to hit targets in neighbouring South Korea, for example, and to evade enemy missile defences.North Korea’s latest weapon test comes as South Korea and the US are planning to launch a nine-day joint military exercise on Monday.It involves “computer simulations”, to improve joint readiness capabilities, but no field exercises, South Korea’s military announced on Sunday.