North Korea: Pyongyang proceeds to new shootings

President of North Korea Kim Jong Un monitoring a missile launch on March 22, 2020. Since the beginning of March, North Korea has fired several shots. KCNA / via REUTERS

For the fourth time since the beginning of March, North Korea has launched projectiles, presumably ballistic missiles, in the direction of the Sea of ​​Japan.

Publicity

Read more

Sunday's shootings were carried out in the sector of the port city of Wonsan, on the east coast, and in the direction of the Sea of ​​Japan or the East Sea according to the Korean name, specifies Agence France-presse.

"Such military action by North Korea is extremely inappropriate at a time when the whole world is having difficulties because of the Covid-19 pandemic," observed the South Korean Joint Staff in a statement, adding that the projectiles appeared to be ballistic missiles.

For its part, the Japanese Ministry of Defense adds that these shots looked like "ballistic missiles" and specified that they had not fallen in Japanese waters or in the exclusive maritime economic zone of Japan.

Tests that intervene that the discussions on the nuclear dossier between North Korea and the United States are at a total dead end and while Washington has offered aid to Pyongyang to fight the new coronavirus.

Read also : In the midst of a coronavirus crisis, North Korea fires two short-range missiles

Pyongyang is not currently commenting on these shots. Last week, it said it had tested a new "guided tactical weapon" where Seoul had seen two short-range ballistic missiles.

A letter from Donald Trump

In the aftermath of last week's shootings, northern media reported that leader Kim Jong Un had received a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump detailing a plan to improve bilateral relations. What officials of the White House had confirmed, reports Agence France-presse again.

In the letter, Donald Trump explained "his plan to boost relations between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the United States and expresses his intention to lend assistance in the fight against epidemics". Probably an allusion to Covid-19, according to a press release issued by KCNA.

North Korea is one of the rare countries in the world not to have announced a case of contamination on its soil, even if in the South, many are convinced that the North is affected.

Newsletter With the Daily Newsletter, find the headlines directly in your mailbox

Subscribe

Follow all international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

    On the same subject

    Coronavirus: UN wants to ease sanctions on countries like Iran

    North Korea fires two short-range missiles during coronavirus crisis

    North Korea fires two unidentified projectiles, says Seoul