After ballistic missiles, North Korea flies warplanes near South Korea buffer zone

North Korea has again launched a short-range ballistic missile toward its eastern waters and flew warplanes near border with South Korea on early Friday. According to South Korean military, it detected around 170 rounds of artillery from eastern and western coastal areas near border region and ded some shells fell inside maritime buffer zones-- a neutral zonal area that lies between two or more bodies of land, usually pertaining to countries. This was same region that Koreas established under a 2018 military agreement on reducing tensions.

In a statement released on Friday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said missile lifted off from North’s capital region at 1:49 a.m. Friday (1649 GMT Thursday; 12:49 p.m. EDT Thursday). As per statement, none of North Korean artillery shells fell inside South Korean territorial waters but called it a clear violation of agreement signed in 2018. Furr, South Korean government said it has imposed unilateral sanctions on North for first time in five years in response to continuous breach of international borders. It has targeted 15 North Korean individuals and 16 organisations suspected of involvement in illicit activities to finance North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile program.

Nuclear tests didn’t pose an immediate threat, says US

Meanwhile, incident was also confirmed by both US and Japan.  According to Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hama, missile flew on an “irregular” trajectory and called it a violation of international border norms. “Whatever intentions are, North Korea’s repeated ballistic missile launches are absolutely impermissible and we cannot overlook its substantial vancement of missile technology,” Hama said. “North Korea’s series of actions pose threats to Japan, as well as region and international community, and are absolutely intolerable.” Furrmore, US Indo-Pacific Command, in a statement, said that North Korean launch didn’t pose an immediate threat to any of its personnel or territory.

South Korea asserts Kim Jong-Un may conduct a nuclear test in coming weeks

In recent months, North has boosted its nuke capabilities, with several long-range weapons fired in past ten days. It launched a suspected ballistic missile on Saturday, a day after US and South Korea finished a naval exercise. This was a follow-up of an unidentified ballistic missile over Japan on Tuesday. It has test-fired about 60 missiles over about 20 different launch events this year as its leer Kim Jong-Un vows to expand his nuclear arsenal and refuses to return to nuclear diplomacy with United States.

In April, it fired a newly built intercontinental ballistic missile, Hwasong-17. intermediate-range missile reportedly has potential of reaching Guam, a key US military hub in Pacific. Meanwhile, South Korean officials say North Korean dictator may also conduct a nuclear test in coming weeks or months, escalating a pressure campaign aimed at forcing United States to accept idea of North Korea as a nuclear power that can negotiate economic and security concessions from a position of strength.

Image: AP