Seoul said that North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles today, Monday, while the Japanese Coast Guard suggested that the latter fired a third missile, in the third missile launch in two days, after the United States and South Korea conducted joint air exercises.
North Korea launched two ballistic missiles early Monday, using its latest launchers, which it says is ready to launch a "tactical nuclear attack" capable of destroying all enemy air bases.
This is North Korea's second experience in about 48 hours, after it launched an intercontinental ballistic missile, the most powerful in its arsenal, on Saturday, in response to joint military exercises scheduled between the armies of the United States and South Korea.
Japan said Saturday's missile landed in its exclusive economic zone, prompting the United States and South Korea to hold joint air exercises on Sunday.
And Pyongyang announced that the Korean People's Army conducted exercises on Monday in response to the South Korean-American maneuvers, blaming the two allies for the deterioration of the security situation, according to a report published by the official North Korean Central News Agency.
The agency stated that "through today's exercises, which included multiple and very large missile launchers, the tactical nuclear attack shows the full readiness of the Korean People's Army for deterrence and its will to confront" against the joint air maneuvers.
It added that the missile launchers were powerful enough to "turn the enemy's airport into ashes."
And the South Korean army announced in a statement that it "monitored the launch of two short-range ballistic missiles, Monday, between 07:00 and 07:11 (22:00-22:11 GMT Sunday), adding that one of them flew a distance of 390 km and the other 340 km before it fell." The East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan.
The statement described the launches as "a serious provocation that undermines peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," and called on North Korea to stop such actions "immediately."
Relations between the two Koreas deteriorated to their lowest levels in years after North Korea declared itself a nuclear state, while Leader Kim called for a "massive" increase in weapons production, including tactical nuclear weapons.
The Foreign Ministry in Seoul quickly imposed new sanctions on four individuals and five entities linked to North Korea's weapons programs on Monday.
"Our government has made it clear that North Korea's provocations will come at a price," the ministry said in a statement.
"surprise" drills
And North Korea considered that its launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile on Saturday was a "surprise" exercise that demonstrated the ability of its forces to carry out a "fatal nuclear attack."
Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said the claims aim, in the face of international skepticism, to confirm "the development of strategic and tactical nuclear force as well as the operational capability to use it."
The missile launches in violation of the sanctions drew widespread condemnation, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' strong condemnation Monday of Pyongyang's missile tests, which he called on to stop such "provocative actions".
North Korea gave its soldiers an "excellent mark" for Saturday's "surprise drill" and missile launch, but South Korean analysts noted that the estimated nine hours between giving the order and firing the missile was not that fast.
But Kim Yo Jong, a member of North Korea's State Affairs Commission, dismissed the criticism as "an attempt to reduce the readiness of the DPRK's missile forces."
The series of missile tests came just before Seoul and Washington begin joint hypothetical exercises later this week aimed at improving their response in the event of a North Korean nuclear attack.
Last week, Pyongyang warned of an "unprecedented" response to the upcoming maneuvers, which it views as preparation for war.