SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea conducted another series of ballistic missile tests on Sunday morning, firing multiple projectiles into ocean waters, according to reports from neighboring countries.
Military officials in South Korea confirmed the weapons were launched from North Korea’s eastern Sinpo region during morning hours on Sunday. In response, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff announced they have increased surveillance measures and are maintaining close communication with American and Japanese authorities.
An emergency session of South Korea’s National Security Council has been scheduled to address the missile activity, according to the presidential office.
Japanese defense officials also confirmed detecting the weapon launches, reporting that the missiles appeared to splash down in waters along North Korea’s eastern shoreline. Tokyo issued a strong condemnation to Pyongyang, stating that Sunday’s missile activity poses a threat to both regional stability and global peace while breaking United Nations Security Council prohibitions against North Korean ballistic weapons programs.
The weekend testing follows recent reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw missile trials conducted from a naval destroyer. Following those tests, Kim announced his administration’s continued commitment to the “limitless expansion” of nuclear capabilities and assigned new objectives to enhance the nation’s nuclear strike and rapid-response systems.
Rafael Grossi, who leads the International Atomic Energy Agency, reported last week that his organization has documented “a rapid increase” in operations at North Korean nuclear installations.
