North Korea has fired several ballistic missilesout to sea, according to neighbouring countries, just days after the United Nations' nuclear watchdog issued a stern warning to the country.
The watchdog cautioned that Pyongyang was making "very serious" strides in itspursuit of nuclear weapons.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the launches took place on Sunday morning from the Sinpo area, an eastern coastal location housing a major North Korean shipyard used for submarine construction. South Korea's military announced it had strengthened its surveillance operations and was maintaining close communication with both the US and Japan.
South Korea's presidential office revealed that its National Security Council intended to convene an emergency meeting to address the launches.
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Japan's Defence Ministry also detected the launches, reporting that the missiles were believed to have come down in waters off North Korea's eastern coastline.
Tokyo lodged a strong protest with Pyongyang, asserting that Sunday's launches posed a threat to regional and international stability and were in direct violation of UN Security Council resolutions prohibiting North Korea from conducting any ballistic activities.
Last week, North Korea announced that leader Kim Jong Un had overseen missile tests from the country's destroyer. The week prior, North Korea claimed it had conducted three days of testing to evaluate ballistic missiles fitted with cluster-bomb warheads alongside other new weapons systems.
Last month, it stated it had tested an upgraded solid-fuel engine for missiles capable of striking the U.S. mainland.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
