N. Korea Fires 10 Ballistic Missiles into Sea of Japan

Seoul/Tokyo, March 14 (Jiji Press)–North Korea launched about 10 short-range ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan from the Sunan northern district in Pyongyang around 1:20 p.m. Saturday, according to the South Korean military. The missiles are believed to have fallen into waters near the east coast of the Korean Peninsula, outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone, Japan’s Defense Ministry said. The missiles traveled some 340 kilometers and reached altitudes of up to some 80 kilometers, according to the ministry. This was the third North Korean ballistic missile launch this year and the first since Jan. 27. The latest launch was apparently intended to express North Korea’s opposition to the 11-day Freedom Shield U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises, which started Monday and assume an emergency on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea test-fired cruise missiles March 4 and Tuesday. On Tuesday, Kim Yo Jong, chief of the General Affairs Department of the Workers’ Party of Korea and younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, criticized the U.S.-South Korea training, saying that it is “provocative and aggressive war rehearsal.” She also indicated that North Korea may conduct military provocation, saying, “We will…convince the enemies of our war deterrence and its fatality.” In response to Saturday’s missile firing, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi instructed her government staff to make full efforts to collect and analyze related information. There was no damage to aircraft or ships from the missiles. The Defense Ministry criticized the launch, saying that it violates relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions and that it is a serious issue that concerns the safety of Japanese people. The Japanese government lodged a strong protest to North Korea. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]