N. Korea fired Scuds for 1st time since ‘09
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The short-range Scud missiles North Korea fired into the sea on Thursday were a type it hasn’t launched since 2009, South Korea confirmed yesterday.
Four projectiles with a range of more than 200 kilometers landed off North Korea’s eastern coast, and South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told reporters that an analysis of their speed and trajectory showed they were Scud missiles.
Defense officials also confirmed reports that North Korea fired four other short-range KN-02 missiles with a range of about 100 kilometers one week ago.
Kim said South Korean officials didn’t disclose last Friday’s launches because North Korea frequently test-launches such short-range missiles. But Kim said Scud-series missiles, which are capable of hitting all of South Korea, are a security threat and Thursday’s Scud launches were the first of that kind since 2009.
He said there are no signs that North Korea is preparing for additional missile launches.
Analysts said the launches were largely aimed at protesting the South Korea-US military drills that began on Monday and won’t be a prelude to a spike in tension. Pyongyang calls the annual military exercises a rehearsal for invasion, though Washington and Seoul say they are defensive in nature.
The United States State Department earlier said it was closely monitoring the situation and urged North Korea to exercise restraint and take steps to improve relations with its neighbors.
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