Pyongyang fires missiles, seventh launch in days
North Korea fired two ballistic missiles early on Sunday, the seventh such launch by Pyongyang in recent days. Both missiles reached an altitude of 100 kilometres and covered a range of 350 km, Japan's state minister of defence, Toshiro Ino, told reporters. The first was fired at around 1:47 a.m. local time and the second some six minutes later. Both fell outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, and authorities were looking into what kind of missiles were launched, including the possibility that they were submarine-launched ballistic missiles, he added. The US military said it was closely consulting with allies and partners following the launches, which it said highlighted the "destabilising impact" of the North Korean nuclear arms and ballistic missile programs. "The US commitments to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remain ironclad," the Hawaii-based US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement. On Tuesday, nuclear-armed North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile further than ever before, sending it soaring over Japan for the first time in five years and prompting a warning for residents there to take cover. Ino said Tokyo would not tolerate the repeated actions by North Korea. The incident was the seventh such launch since September 25. North Korea, which has pursued missile and nuclear tests in defiance of UN sanctions, said on Saturday its missile tests were for self-defence against direct US military threats and had not harmed the safety of neighbouring countries and regions. The United States and South Korea held joint maritime exercises on Friday, a day after Seoul scrambled fighter jets in reaction to an apparent North Korean bombing drill. (Reuters)