N Korea fires two ballistic missiles: Seoul
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Friday, Seoul's military said, the latest in a recent flurry of weapons tests. It has been a year of unprecedented tests by the North, including the launch of its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile last month, the test of what Pyongyang says was a new rocket engine last week, and claims this week it has developed new capabilities to take images from space. "Our military spotted two short-range ballistic missiles launched by North Korea into the East Sea from the Sunan area of Pyongyang at around 16:32 (0732 GMT) today," South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan. "Our military maintains a full readiness posture while closely cooperating with the US while strengthening surveillance and vigilance." The United States and South Korea have warned for months that Pyongyang is preparing to conduct its seventh nuclear test. The two countries held a joint air drill on Tuesday, and deployed a US B-52H strategic bomber to the Korean peninsula, according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff. The long-range heavy bomber was part of an exercise that included the US and South Korea's most advanced jets – including the F-22 and the F-35 stealth fighters. Friday's launch came hours after the White House said Pyongyang had delivered arms to the Russian private military group Wagner. (AFP)