North Korea launches 'unspecified ballistic missile' towards East Sea states: Report

In the latest of a series of weapons demonstrations, North Korea fired yet another "unspecified ballistic missile" towards the East Sea on Thursday. South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff confirmed this in a statement stating that this marks North's 16th show of force this year, Yonhap news agency reported. The South Korean military did not specify any further details about the launch. The latest launch by the North came just a couple of days after Yoon Suk-yeol took charge as the next President of South Korea. 

According to a report by the Associated Press (AP), North Korea has tested a slew of missiles this year, ostensibly to raise pressure on its opponents amid stalled nuclear talks. Some experts believe that North Korea will continue to test weapons in order to enhance national unity. Earlier on Saturday, May 7, the Armed Forces of South Korea claimed that North Korea fired an unidentified projectile towards its eastern sea.

North Korea ramps up its missile tests

There are also indications that the North is reopening tunnels at a nuclear testing site that was last used in 2017, possibly in preparation for a nuclear test. As part of its weapon development programme, North Korea has been rapidly increasing its missile tests. From hypersonic to short-range, immediate, and long-range missiles, the country's Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un has mostly overseen the launch of such missiles launch.

North Korea's nuclear weapons poses threat to entire North-East Asia: South Korea

During his inaugural speech on May 9, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol stated that North Korea's nuclear weapons development programme poses a threat not only to South Korea's national security but to the entire region of North-East Asia. He also recommended an "extremely ambitious approach" to collaborate with its northern counterpart if they agreed to "peacefully resolve" nuclear threats through dialogue and diplomacy. The South Korean President also encouraged Pyongyang to pursue "full denuclearization" in order to avoid further aggravation of the Korean Peninsula situation.

Image: AP