North Korea fired two projectiles that appear to be short-range missiles towards the sea off the east coast of the Korean peninsula, the South Korean military said on Saturday (March 21st).

In early March, North Korea had already fired several short-range projectiles towards the sea as part of firing exercises.

The projectiles were fired from the province of North Pyongan, located above the capital Pyongyang on the west coast of the Korean peninsula, said the South Korean General Staff.

The Japanese coast guard said it was apparently a missile that fell outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone.

Stalled negotiations

Shortly before Yonhap mentioned the shooting, the official North Korean news agency (KCNA) had announced a convocation on April 10 of its Supreme People's Assembly, its Parliament.

North Korea has stepped up arms testing since November in the absence of progress in the negotiations by which the United States hopes to abandon its nuclear program. Analysts say Pyongyang is gradually refining its capabilities, despite sanctions and convictions.

The Korean peninsula had experienced remarkable relaxation in 2018, illustrated by historic meetings between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and American President Donald Trump. But negotiations on denuclearization have stalled since the second summit between the two leaders, in February 2019 in Hanoi.

With Reuters and AFP

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