North Korea fires ballistic missile ahead of US-South Korea drills

SEOUL: North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile off the east coast of the Korean peninsula on Sunday ahead of the joint military drills between South Korea and the US.

The ballistic missile launch comes two days after a nuclear-powered aircraft from the United States (US) arrived in South Korea for drills, Yonhap News Agency reported citing South Korean military officials.

Yonhap said citing the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Saturday that the missile was launched from a region in or around Taechon, North Pyongan Province, at 6:53 a.m, as per Yonhap News agency and flew some 600 kilometres at an apogee of around 60 km at a top speed of Mach 5.

The intelligence officials of both countries have started a detailed analysis of the incident.

"While tracking the North Korean movements to prepare against any additional provocation in close cooperation with the US, our military will maintain readiness based on the capability to respond overwhelmingly to any North Korean provocation," the JCS said, Yonhap News Agency reported. Earlier in June, Pyongyang test-fired a total of eight short-range ballistic missiles in response to which South Korea and the United States also test-fired eight missiles, demonstrating the capability to launch immediate precision strikes on the origins of provocations.

Over 10 years in power, the North Korean leader has conducted more than 100 missile launches, including intercontinental launches, and four nuclear tests whereas North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said numerous times that his country will continue to boost its nuclear potential.

Meanwhile, leaders during the QUAD summit which took place in Tokyo in May condemned North Korea's "destabilizing" ballistic missile launches and called on the international community to abide by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.

"We condemn North Korea's destabilizing ballistic missile development and launches, including multiple intercontinental ballistic missile tests, in violation of UNSCRs, and call on the international community to fully implement these resolutions.

We urge North Korea to abide by all of its obligations under the UNSCRs, refrain from provocations, and engage in substantive dialogue," said the joint statement by QUAD Leader following the summit that was hosted by Japan in Tokyo.