SEOUL — North Korea test-launched two medium-range ballistic missiles early Wednesday off its east coast in its longest-range launch since 2012, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported, citing military sources.
The South Korean military say the missiles were launched just after 2:30 a.m. local time and flew for around a little more than 400 miles. North Korea last held a ballistic launch with that range in December 2012, when it successfully sent a satellite into orbit.
"Our government is intensifying monitoring of North Korea's military and preparing for all possible outcomes," spokesman for South Korea's Ministry of National Defense Kim Min-seok said in a morning press briefing, according to the Donga Ilbo newspaper.
"We call on North Korea to immediately cease all provocative behavior," Kim said.
In recent weeks, North Korea has held intermittent firings of short-range artillery missiles, including a volley of 30 such missiles on Monday. Those firings weren't deemed much of a threat by South Korea or the U.S. due to their short range failed to garner much attention.
Wednesday's launches violate a United Nations Security Council resolution that bans North Korea from long-range missile tests. The resolution was enacted in 2009 after North Korea's second nuclear test.
Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, head of U.S Forces Korea, said in Washington on Tuesday that he believes North Korea could have a long-range missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland by 2024.
The annual Foal Eagle military exercises between the U.S. and South Korean militaries were underway in South Korea. A scaled down version of the exercises is being held this year, with the apparent intention of being less provocative to North Korea. This year's drills do not include an aircraft carrier or B-52 bomber jets. A seperate exercise dubbed the Key Resovle training took place previously and consisted almost entirely of computer simulations. The Foal Eagle field training exercises will run until April 18.
Though the exercises are defensive in nature, Pyongyang objects to them, describing them as rehearsals for an invasion of North Korea. Aproximatley 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea.
The launches come on the four-year anniversary of the sinking of the ROK Cheonan warship, which left 46 South Korean navy personnel dead. Seoul attributes the sinking to a North Korean torpedo attack, while North Korea has denied any involvement.
Signs of a possible détente were evident in recent months after years of unfriendly relations on the Korean peninsula. In February, the two sides held reunions of family members divided by the Korean War for the first time since 2010. But after the successful reunions, Pyongyang rejected the South's offer to hold talks on holding the family meetings on a regular basis.
ALSO:
In China, Michelle Obama gently broaches free speech
Turkish fighter jets shoot down Syrian warplane in border zone
Spain's modern-day Robin Hood seeks to level the playing field
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
North Korea test-fires two medium-range ballistic missiles
Dengan url
http://usiamudahan.blogspot.com/2014/03/north-korea-test-fires-two-medium-range.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
North Korea test-fires two medium-range ballistic missiles
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
North Korea test-fires two medium-range ballistic missiles
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar