North Korea test-fires 4 missiles

North Korea test-fired four short-range missiles on Thursday, a South Korean Defence Ministry spokesman said.

Early Thursday evening, the ministry said, North Korea had test-fired two short-range missiles.

"One was fired at 5:20 p.m. and the other at 6 p.m. from Sinsang-ni," the Yonhap news agency quoted South Korean Defence Ministry spokesman Won Tae-jae as saying. Sinsang-ni is a North Korean town near the eastern coastal city of Wonsan.

Yonhap reported that the missiles appear to be of the surface-to-ship variety. The report contained few other details.

News cable channel YTN carried a similar report.

An unnamed defence ministry official — speaking condition of anonymity, citing department policy — later confirmed the North had fired another missile from the east coast.

Another official, who also requested anonymity, said the North fired one more rocket later Thursday. She provided no other details.

Yonhap, citing an unnamed military official, reported all four missiles flew about 100 kilometres and identified them as KN-01 missiles with a range of up to 160 kilometres.

Foreign tourists on Thursday look at a map of Pyongyang beside a picture of a North Korean rocket, which was fired in April, at a South Korean observation post near the border . (Ahn Young-joon/Associated Press)North Korea had earlier declared waters off its east coast to be a no-sail zone through July 10 for military drills. That designation has been viewed as a prelude to such missile tests.

Condemnation from neighbours

"We had expected that they will fire short-range missiles at any time," South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said while visiting the U.S. ambassador's residence.

"It's not a good sign, because they are demonstrating their military power."

In Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso called the missile launches "provocative acts" and urged the North to refrain.

Earlier Thursday, the South Korean JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported the North was likely to test-fire a number of missiles in the coming days, including ballistic Scud or Rodong rockets that are banned from testing under UN resolutions.

Tensions in the Korean peninsula have escalated steadily since May, when the North conducted an underground nuclear test and fired a spate of missiles.

Those moves prompted the United Nations Security Council to impose new sanctions on North Korea earlier this month.

Pyongyang has since issued a number of threats against the West and other Security Council members, and threatened to attack South Korea if it took part in the U.S.-led program to intercept North Korean ships suspected of carrying weapons.

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[ORANGESPARKY]

its ovious there could be a nuclear war im from uk i dint think we have any missles are troops arem in afgan and fighting a stupid war people are dieing for no reason the troops have no resources because the goverment cant be bothered to buy any equipment so they are not ready to go out there but america and russia are very powerful they have bombs nuclear missles so have russia but there 2 big countries and powerful and not afraid to use what they have got but uk is a tiny contrie

[mikevanross69]

well said.

[supersal001]

want to? yes..ever will?..no way...i think another nation is in on this and not just NK...north korea would not be acting like this and trying to act tuff without being backed up by someone, they know too well they can be wiped out and turned into a parking lot in minutes........suspects: idk china?

[supersal001]

exactly because we are "big boys" North Korea is known to be fucken crazy and thats why they cant have nuclear weapons, rusia and usa are not as crazy..i mean if they are pulling off this bullhsit and trying to taunt us with those missles what will they do when they have nuclear weapons (real ones/big boy stuff)

[outled]

well if they do then it'd be for the same reason everyone else does it for defence, obviously any country developing its arsenal are looking to intimidate someone in the political playground, i really couldnt care less, i have no power over the juvenile minds of the military and there masters.

And North korea has absolutely no intention of bombing hawaii, its pure fantasy.

[MylerM182]

So why do you think North Korea wants nuclear weapons? And why do you think they're threatening Hawaii?

[outled]

oh and you actually believe north korea wants to bomb Hawaii !!!!! thats hilarious :D

People will believe anything wont they.

[outled]

i hate to be pedantic but thats exactly what uk usa and russia have been doing for many many years now ... constantly.

Try and see things from north koreas point of view. Am i to believe that our leaders have no mental health issues, because i beg to differ.

None of us should have nuclear weapons its pathetic.

But i bet you come from the same school of thought that says ahmedinajad is an antisemite. Its the MSM riddling your thought process.

[MylerM182]

You can't find a reason why north korea shouldn't have as much nuclear weaponry as russia or usa? How about the fact that they're threating to bomb people. North Korea's leaders are insane. That's why they shouldn't have nuclear weapons.

[outled]

boring propaganda, same as american tv.

And i was just beginning to enjoy RT.

I cannot find a single reason why north korea shouldnt have as much nuclear weaponry as russia or usa, i find this world to be such a playground.

The big boys can give it but they cant take it.

Even the UK where i'm from is a coward, we raped the world silly and we're shitting it now.

If these countries want to be the worlds policemen they need to lead by example and disarm instead of the constant arms race.