North Korea fires 8 ballistic missiles into the sea
North Korea on Sunday fired eight ballistic missiles into the waters off its east coast, a day after the three-day joint military exercises of the US and South Korean armies.
"Our military detected the launch of eight short-range ballistic missiles from the Sunan sector in Pyongyang towards the East Sea," South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, referring to the Sea of Japan.
It said the launches took place in a 30-minute time frame, adding that "our military has strengthened its monitoring and vigilance in anticipation of new launches. South Korea and the United States are cooperating closely and are fully prepared."
These new launches come after three days of large-scale exercises conducted by the US and South Korean militaries with the participation of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan.
It was the first joint exercises between the two countries since new South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol took office in early May promising a tougher policy toward Pyongyang, and the first exercises involving an aircraft carrier since November 2017.
North Korea has long protested against the exercises, which it considers as a preparation for an invasion.
The South Korean military said in a statement that the exercises "reinforced the two countries' resolve to respond forcefully to any North Korean provocation, while at the same time demonstrating the United States' commitment to providing broad-based deterrence."
Analysts believe that Kim Jong Un may be accelerating his plans for nuclear tests to divert the attention of the North Korean population affected by the Corona virus.
On Saturday, according to official figures, the country reached the threshold of 4 million infections out of a population of 25 million.
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