North Korea yesterday fired two short-range missiles that fell into the sea and launched a scathing attack on what it called "ridiculous" calls for dialogue from South Korean President Moon Jean-in, rejecting further talks with Seoul. It is Pyongyang's sixth test since July 25. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un announced in early August that the operations were a "serious warning" to South Korea and the United States because of joint military exercises by the two countries.
Pyongyang denounces the annual military exercises, which it considers to be exercises in preparation for its invasion, but has been refraining from carrying out experiments. It warned that the start of the exercises would prevent the resumption of talks with the United States on its arsenal of nuclear weapons.
The projectiles were fired from the vicinity of Tongchon in the southeastern province of Kangwon, flying about 230 kilometers before falling into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan.
"They are believed to be short-range ballistic missiles," said an official at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stressing that further analysis was still needed to confirm this.
The test came at a time when the North Korean authorities' peaceful reunification committee, which rejected North Korea's remarks on Thursday, expressed its desire for reunification and said it had nothing to discuss with Seoul.
Moon, who has long supported dialogue with the North, was described as "the brazen man who is rarely found," because he hoped to resume inter-Korean talks as he continued military exercises with Washington.
In a speech marking the liberation of Korea from the Japanese occupation (1910-1945), Moon declared that his goal was "to achieve peace and reunification by 2045", despite the end of his 2022 presidential term in a country where only one state is allowed.
"His speech deserves a comment: a foolish remembrance speech," North Korea said in its statement.
"We no longer have anything to discuss with the South Korean authorities, and we have no intention of meeting with them again," the statement said.