North Korea said Tuesday it was test-firing “tactical guided missiles,” which are short-range ballistic missiles, also claiming they “hit their precise target in the East Sea,” according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said two ballistic missiles were fired three minutes apart from the western section of North Korea.
Early estimates from Japan put the flight of the missiles at about 300 kilometers (186 miles) with a maximum altitude of 50 kilometers (31 miles), Kishi said.
South Korean defense spokesman Boo Seung-chan said Monday that the South Korean and United States intelligence authorities are analyzing details of Monday’s launches.
The United States last week announced sanctions on eight people and entities for their work in developing weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile-related programs for Pyongyang. It came after at least two known North Korean ballistic missile tests.
Leif-Eric Easley, associate professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, said after Friday’s test that Pyongyang “appears to be signaling it will not be ignored and will respond to pressure with pressure.”
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