North Korea test-fires 8 short-range ballistic missiles

Asia-Pacific, News June 6, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

North Korea fired a barrage of at least 8 short-range ballistic missiles into the sea from multiple locations as it marked the 18th missile test of this year on June 5, 2022.

North Korea has significantly intensified its weapons testing this year. South Korean military has repeatedly expressed its increasing reservations about North Korea’s weapons demonstration this year.

According to the South Korean military sources, North Korea fired a salvo of missiles between 9:00 and 9:400 a.m. local time.

The launch came only a day after the U.S. and South Korea arranged a military exercise in the Sea of Japan to bolster the interoperability and joint capability of the allied partners against regional threats and North Korea’s provocations. The three-day exercise involved the U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan Aircraft Carrier.

Possibly setting a new single-day record for North Korean ballistic launches, eight missiles were fired in succession over 35 minutes from at least four different locations, including from western and eastern coastal areas and two inland areas north of and near the capital, Pyongyang, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

The missiles flew between 110 to 670 kilometers after reaching a maximum altitude of 25 to 80 kilometers, and reached speeds ranging from Mach 3 to Mach 6.

*^{North Korea launches a ballistic missile on March 21, 2020. (Image Credit: KCNA-Yonhap)}*

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Won In-cheol held a video conference with the U.S. Military General Paul LaCamera, to discuss the recent launch and the joint reaction by U.S. and South Korea.

North Korea has long condemned the joint military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea as ‘drills to invade’ North Korea, often countering them with its own missile drills or short-range missiles missile testing.

While discussing the recent missile testing by North Korea and its precise timing with his national security officials, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said North Korea was firing missiles at a pace of once every nine days this year. Yoon also vowed to strengthen South Korea’s defense alliance with the United States.

The newly elected conservative South Korean President holds a tough stance against North Korea increasing weapons testing activities. He has also been in favor of docking U.S. nuclear-powered naval ships.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called for maximum efforts to gather information about the launches and to ensure the safety of Japanese aircraft and vessels as the missiles were targeted close to the Japanese coast however, there were no immediate reports of damages.