Two "ballistic" missiles fired Thursday from central-eastern North Korea crashed in the Sea of Japan, while several UN Security Council resolutions prohibit Pyongyang, already heavily sanctioned by the international community, to practice this type of launching.
North Korea launched two missiles into the Sea of Japan on Thursday and Tokyo said they were ballistic missiles, firing in violation of UN resolutions.
The launch of such devices, if confirmed, would pose a challenge for the administration of US President Joe Biden.
Thursday's shooting was first announced in Seoul, where the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that two "unidentified projectiles" had been fired into the Sea of Japan, known as the "Sea of the East "in Korea.
The general staff said the shooting took place from South Hamgyong province, located in east-central North Korea.
The missiles traveled a path of 450 kilometers and reached a maximum attitude of 60 kilometers, said the South Korean general staff, who did not specify precisely what type of device it was.
The general staff added that the South Korean army had "strengthened its posture of surveillance, in close coordination with the United States", main ally of South Korea.
The Blue House, South Korea's presidential palace, has announced an imminent meeting of the national security council.
"Ballistic missiles"
In Japan, another regional ally of the United States, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga was adamant that the projectiles launched on Thursday were ballistic missiles.
"North Korea launched two ballistic missiles," the head of government told reporters, according to which North Korea's last ballistic missile was fired almost a year ago on March 29, 2020. "This threatens the peace and security of our country and the region. It is also a violation of the UN resolution," said the head of the Japanese government.
Several resolutions of the Security Council of the United Nations prohibit the power of Pyongyang from continuing its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.
But North Korea, although hit by multiple international sanctions, has rapidly developed its military capabilities in recent years under the leadership of its leader Kim Jong Un. It has carried out several nuclear tests and successfully tested ballistic missiles capable of 'reach the United States.
North Korea launched two missiles on Sunday shortly after a visit to Seoul by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
It was the first known North Korean shot since President Joe Biden arrived at the White House.
But US officials later said they were two short-range, non-ballistic missiles.
These officials had therefore minimized the importance of the shots by explaining that these devices were classified "in the category of normal military activities in the North".
These shots "are not sanctioned by UN Security Council resolutions against the ballistic missile program" in Pyongyang, an American official said on condition of anonymity.