According to the South Korean military, North Korea launched an unknown number of cruise missiles into the waters off its west coast on Wednesday. This action might potentially worsen tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea's missile launches were detected at about seven in the morning, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). Yonhap News Agency said on Wednesday that it was (local time).
It was not clear how many missiles were fired or how far they traveled.
“While strengthening our monitoring and vigilance, our military has been closely coordinating with the United States to monitor additional signs of North Korea’s provocations,” the JCS told reporters.
After launching an intermediate-range solid-fuel ballistic missile test on January 14 to supposedly confirm the capabilities of its hypersonic maneuverable controlled warhead, this is North Korea's second missile launch of the year.
As North Korean leader Kim Jong Un continues to speed up the development of his armaments and makes provocative threats of nuclear conflict with the United States and its Asian allies, tensions on the Korean Peninsula have grown in recent months.
In response, the United States, South Korea, and Japan have strengthened their deterrence tactics and increased the scope of their combined military exercises, which the leader of North Korea describes as invasion practice.
North Korea claimed to have tested an underwater attack drone with nuclear capability on January 19 in the East Sea, claiming the drone could destroy enemy ports and navy vessels.
According to the North Korean Defense Ministry, the weapon test was a reaction to joint naval drills that the US, South Korea, and Japan conducted in waters south of Jeju Island.
Following that, the JCS said that South Korea has prepared its military with “overwhelming striking capabilities” that can target “the launch sites of such weapons systems in case of a contingency.”
“We will further strengthen our anti-submarine capabilities and defense postures over ports,” the South Korean military told reporters.
North Korea declared that reunification with South Korea is no longer feasible and dismantled organizations supporting "north-south dialogue" amid the tight relations between the two countries.
Kim called for the destruction of a monument honoring the quest for reunification and the barring of "all channels of north-south communication along the border," including the railway tracks.
The leader of North Korea stated that while his government does not intend to launch a war, it also does not intend to avoid one. He issued a dire warning, saying that war on the Korean Peninsula would bring about South Korea's demise and subject the US to a "unimaginable crushing defeat."
In an attempt to find a diplomatic solution, the United States has frequently pursued "direct talks" with North Korea without any demands, but North Korea has rejected these initiatives.
