SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of -- North Korea on Saturday fired several unidentified short-range projectiles into the sea off its eastern coast, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said, a likely sign of Pyongyang's growing frustration at stalled diplomatic talks with Washington meant to provide coveted sanctions relief in return for nuclear disarmament.

The South initially reported a single missile was fired, but later issued a statement that said "several projectiles" had been launched and that they flew up to 200 kilometres (125 miles) before splashing into the sea toward the northeast.

South Korea's military has bolstered its surveillance in case there are additional weapons launches, and South Korean and U.S. authorities are analyzing the details. If it's confirmed that the North fired banned ballistic missiles, it will be the first such launch since the North's November 2017 test of an intercontinental ballistic missile. That year saw a string of increasingly powerful weapons tests from the North and a belligerent response from President Donald Trump that had many in the region fearing war.

The firing Saturday comes amid a diplomatic breakdown that has followed the failed summit earlier this year between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over the North's pursuit of nuclear bombs that can accurately target the U.S. mainland. Experts believe that the North has viable shorter range nuclear armed missiles but still needs more tests to perfect its longer-range weapons.

During the diplomacy that followed the North's weapons tests of 2017, Kim Jong Un said that the North would not test nuclear devices or ICBMs.

These short-range projectiles don't appear to violate that self-imposed moratorium, and may instead be a way to register Kim's displeasure with Washington and the state of talks meant to provide sanctions relief for disarmament without having the diplomacy collapse. </s> SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired several short-range projectiles from its east coast on Saturday, South Korea’s military said, as analysts said the country is stepping up pressure against the United States after February’s failed nuclear summit in Bangkok.

The South Korean military initially described it as a missile launch, but subsequently gave a more vague description.

If the unidentified projectiles were missiles, it would be the first missile launch since the North fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in November 2017. Soon after that missile test, the North declared that its nuclear force was complete, after which Pyongyang extended an olive branch to the South and the United States.

In Saturday’s statement South Korea’s Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North fired several unidentified short-range projectiles from north of the city of Wonsan around 9 a.m. (0000 GMT) which flew about 70 kms to 200 kms (44-124 miles).

In an earlier message, South Korea’s military command had said the North fired an “unidentified short-range missile”.

The South Korean military said it was conducting joint analysis with the United States of the latest launches.

Surveillance and vigilance has been stepped up in preparation for any further launches by North Korea, and the South Korean military maintains readiness and is cooperating with the United States, the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff added.

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un, has vowed to no longer test nuclear weapons or ICBMs, but the North has conducted other weapons tests since then.

The latest firing, coming after the North’s test of what it called a tactical guided weapons system in April, added to the pressure Pyongyang has sought to exert on the United States to give ground in negotiations to end the North’s nuclear programme.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said, “We are aware of North Korea’s actions tonight. We will continue to monitor as necessary.”

A Pentagon press officer said in response to a Reuters request for comment: “We aren’t able to confirm anything at the moment, we are looking in to it.”

South Korea’s presidential Blue House is “analysing the situation,” a Blue House official said without elaborating.

“There were reports of a missile launch by North Korea, but we have not confirmed the entry of any ballistic missile into Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone. At this point, we have not confirmed any situation where Japan’s national security would immediately be affected.” Japan’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Analysts said that no matter what type of projectile was fired, the timing of North Korea’s action would send a message to the United States.

“It is an expression of the North’s frustration over stalled talks with the United States. It is a message that it could return to the previous confrontational mode if there is no breakthrough in the stalemate,” said Yang Uk, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defence and Security Forum.

“It also seems clear that North Korea is angry over what appears to be a lack of flexibility in the Trump administration’s position on relieving sanctions, sticking to a policy of ‘maximum pressure’,” said Harry Kazianis at the Center for the National Interest, a think-tank.

Kim has held two summit meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump, the second in February in Vietnam, but the two failed to make progress on ending the North’s nuclear programme due to disagreement on weapons dismantlement and sanctions relief. </s> South Korea's military says North Korea has fired 'unidentified projectiles' from a site near Pyongyang. South Korea's joint chiefs of staff say the projectiles were fired in an easterly direction. Image: News Corp Australia

Tensions are once again on the rise between North Korea and the United States.

Pyongyang has conducted two missile tests in the past week, for the first time in 500 days. More recently, the US has seized a North Korean cargo ship that was allegedly operating in violation of international sanctions.

The events are likely to heighten conflict between the two countries, as US efforts to dissuade North Korea from pursuing its nuclear weapons program have stalled.

TENSIONS ON THE RISE OVER MISSILE TESTS

North Korea has conducted two missile tests in the past week.

Yesterday afternoon, the hermit nation launched two short-range missiles from the Kusong region in the country’s northwest. The missiles landed in the East Sea between North Korea and Japan.

The first missile, which was fired off on May 4, marked North Korea’s first short-range missile testing in more than 500 days.

In February, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump met in Hanoi, Vietnam. In their second summit, they tried to secure a deal on dismantling North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, but neither side could come to a mutually accepted agreement.

The North Korean government has refuted allegations the missile test was conducted aggressively.

“The recent drill conducted by our army is nothing more than part of the regular military training, and it has neither targeted anyone nor led to an aggravation of situation in the region,” a North Korean foreign ministry official said in a statement in the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

The statement avoided using the words missile, rocket or projectile. “The successful drill of deployment and strike designed to inspect the ability of rapid reaction of the defence units … fully showed the might of the units which were fully prepared to proficiently carry out any operation and combat,” KCNA said.

Mr Trump says he knows North Korea wants to negotiate with the United States but he does not think it is ready to do so.

“The relationship continues … I know they want to negotiate, they’re talking about negotiating. But I don’t think they’re ready to negotiate,” Mr Trump told reporters at the White House.

He said “nobody is happy” about North Korea’s latest missile launch.

Earlier in the week, after the first missile launch, Mr Trump expressed his confidence in the North Korean dictator, saying he “knows that I am with him” and that a “Deal will happen!”

The Trump administration has seized a North Korean cargo ship used to supply coal to the isolated nation in violation of international sanctions, law enforcement officials said.

The seizure of the vessel, detained last month in Indonesia, comes at a delicate moment between the two countries.

It follows a Pentagon decision to suspend efforts to arrange negotiations on recovering additional remains of US service members killed in the North during the Korean War.

The Justice Department said the seized ship, the Wise Honest, is one of North Korea’s largest bulk carriers and for several years had been used to deliver Russian coal to North Korea.

Payments for maintenance and equipment for the vessel were made in American dollars through unwitting US banks, a violation of sanctions that bar North Korean citizens or entities from the US financial system.

Officials say North Korea sought to conceal the vessel’s purpose by listing in shipping documentation different countries for its nationality and the origin of the coal.

“This sanctions-busting ship is now out of service,” said Assistant Attorney-General John Demers, the Justice Department’s top national security official.

According to a civil complaint filed on Thursday in federal court in Manhattan, the ship was intercepted and seized by Indonesian authorities on April 2, 2018.

At the time, it was about 4500 kilometres south of Nampo, North Korea, where it had been photographed a month earlier. The complaint says that after taking the load of coal, the ship sailed south with it toward Indonesia.

The vessel has since been taken into custody by the US. </s> SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea fired two unidentified projectiles into sea on Thursday, South Korea's military said, the first launches in more than two months as North Korean and U.S. officials work to restart nuclear diplomacy.The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the projectiles fired from the eastern coastal town of Wonsan flew 430 kilometers (267 miles).It wasn't immediately known what type of projectiles North Korea fired. But in the past, such launches have involved missiles or artillery.The joint chiefs said South Korean and U.S. militaries were analyzing details of the launches.Thursday's launches came as the North was ramping up pressure on the United States ahead of the possible resumption of nuclear diplomacy.During a third summit at the Korean border late last month, U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed to resume nuclear negotiations, which had been deadlocked since their second summit in Vietnam in February ended without any agreement due to disputes over U.S.-led sanctions.North Korea said last week it may lift its 20-month suspension of nuclear and missile tests to protest expected military drills between the United States and South Korea that Pyongyang says are an invasion rehearsal.On Tuesday, North Korean state media said Kim inspected a newly built submarine and ordered officials to further bolster the country's military capabilities. </s> North Korea fires projectiles from Wonsan towards the east

Updated

North Korea has fired several projectiles from its east coast, the South Korean military confirmed, as analysts said the country was stepping up pressure against the United States after February's failed nuclear summit in Hanoi.

Key points: South Korea said several short-range projectiles were launched after 9:00am local time (10:00am AEST)

Analysts said the timing of the launch would send a message to the US

The projectile launches come as the North steps up pressure against Washington following a failed nuclear summit

The South Korean military initially said there had been a missile launch, but subsequently gave a more vague description.

South Korea's joint chiefs of staff (JCS) said Korea and US authorities were analysing details of the launch, which happened about 9:00am local time (10:00am AEST).

In statement the JCS said the North had fired several unidentified projectiles from north of the city of Wonsan that flew between 70 and 200 kilometres.

Earlier South Korea's military command had said the North fired an "unidentified short-range missile".

The firing comes amid a diplomatic breakdown following the failed summit earlier this year between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un over the North's pursuit of a nuclear arsenal that can target the US mainland.

Prime Minster Scott Morrison has commended Mr Trump's efforts and said he had not unreasonably raised expectations of securing peace in the region.

"He's being very honest that this was going to be difficult," Mr Morrison told reporters in Queensland.

"I would only continue to encourage him to take the steps he is taking to ensure that he brings stability to that part of the world. But it's going to have its setbacks, and it clearly has.

"I think it's a reminder of just the unstable world that we live in today. And the pressures that are out there."

If the unidentified projectiles were missiles, it would be the first missile launch since the North fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in 2017.

That year saw a string of increasingly powerful weapons tests from the North and a belligerent response from Mr Trump that had many in the region fearing war.

Launch will send message to the US

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said the Trump administration was aware of North Korea's actions.

"We will continue to monitor as necessary," she said.

A Pentagon press officer said: "We aren't able to confirm anything at the moment, we are looking in to it."

South Korea's presidential Blue House is "analysing the situation," an official said without elaborating.

Japan's Defence Ministry said in a statement that it had not confirmed the entry of any ballistic missile into Japanese territory.

"At this point, we have not confirmed any situation where Japan's national security would immediately be affected," it said.

Analysts said that no matter what type of projectile was fired, the timing of the launch would send a message to the US.

These short-range projectiles do not appear to violate that self-imposed moratorium, and may instead be a way to register Mr Kim's displeasure with Washington and the state of talks meant to provide sanctions relief for disarmament without having the diplomacy collapse.

North Korea angered by Trump's position on sanctions

Mr Kim recently met Russian President Vladimir Putin in a first-ever summit between the two leaders, aimed at resolving a standoff over Pyongyang's nuclear program.

Mr Putin said the two leaders had "exchanged views on how and what needs to be done so that we can improve the situation", while Mr Kim called the discussions "fruitful" and a "meaningful exchange".

Mr Kim has vowed to no longer test nuclear weapons or ICBMs, but the North has conducted other weapons tests since then.

The missile firing, coming after the North's test of what it called a tactical weapons system, added to the pressure it has exerted on Washington.

"It also seems clear that North Korea is angry over what appears to be a lack of flexibility in the Trump administration's position on relieving sanctions, sticking to a policy of 'maximum pressure'," said Harry Kazianis at the Centre for the National Interest, a think-tank.

Mr Kim has held two summit meetings with Mr Trump, the second in February in Vietnam, but the two leaders failed to make progress on ending the North's nuclear program due to disagreement on weapons dismantlement and sanctions relief.

South Korea's military has bolstered its surveillance in case there are additional weapons launches.

Reuters/AP

Topics: unrest-conflict-and-war, world-politics, korea-democratic-peoples-republic-of

First posted </s> North Korea launched a ballistic missile Sunday morning that flew around 430 miles, a South Korean military official said, in what appears to be the latest missile test in defiance of United Nations sanctions.

The unidentified ballistic missile was launched at 5:27 a.m. Seoul time (4:27 p.m. Saturday ET), off Kusong north of the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, a South Korean military official told NBC News.

The missile flew around 30 minutes and landed in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary said.

U.S. officials said they were assessing the projectile launch. South Korea’s newly elected president, Moon Jae-in, has called for the national security council to meet on the matter, a presidential spokesperson said.

The apparent missile test comes after several missile tests this year. Late last month, North Korea launched what was believed to be a short-ranged ballistic missile, but the missile exploded just after launch.

There have been escalating tensions in the Korean peninsula over the North’s missile tests as well as the deployment in South Korea of the U.S. missile defense system known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects the defence detachment on Jangjae Islet on Mu Islet located in the southernmost part of the waters off the southwest front, in this undated photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 5, 2017. KCNA via REUTERS

North Korea has conducted five suspected nuclear tests, including two last year. The country has warned it

was ready to test an intercontinental ballistic missile “at any time” but has never launched such a missile.

The Trump administration in March declared a change in policy towards North Korea. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the “the policy of strategic patience has ended” during a visit to South Korea, in which he also said

military action could be on the table if North Korea elevates the threat of its weapons programs.

President Donald Trump in an interview with Reuters last month raised the possibility

of a “major, major conflict” with North Korea if other solutions don’t work.

told Bloomberg that he would be open to meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un if it was under the right circumstances and appropriate to do so. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer later cited North Korea’s provocative actions and other factors and said “clearly the conditions are not there right now.” </s> - North Korea fired several unidentified short-range projectiles into the sea off its eastern coast on Saturday, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said, a likely sign of Pyongyang's growing frustration at stalled diplomatic talks with Washington meant to provide coveted sanctions relief in return for nuclear disarmament.

South Korea's military has bolstered its surveillance in case there are additional weapons launches, and South Korean and U.S. authorities are analyzing the details.

If it's confirmed that the North fired banned ballistic missiles, it would be the first such launch since the North's November 2017 test of an intercontinental ballistic missile. That year saw a string of increasingly powerful weapons tests from the North and a belligerent response from President Donald Trump that had many in the region fearing war.

The South initially reported Saturday that a single missile was fired, but later issued a statement that said "several projectiles" had been launched and that they flew up to 200 kilometers (125 miles) before splashing into the sea toward the northeast. Experts say the North may increase these sorts of low-level provocations to apply pressure on the United States to agree to reduce crushing international sanctions.

The launch comes amid a diplomatic breakdown that has followed the failed summit earlier this year between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over the North's pursuit of nuclear bombs that can accurately target the U.S. mainland. The North probably has viable shorter range nuclear armed missiles but still needs more tests to perfect its longer-range weapons, according to outside analysts.

Trump said Saturday that he still believes a nuclear deal with North Korea will happen. He tweeted that Kim "fully realizes the great economic potential of North Korea, & will do nothing to interfere or end it."

Trump added: "He also knows that I am with him & does not want to break his promise to me. Deal will happen!"

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that the United States was aware of North Korea's actions and would continue to monitor the situation.

South Korea said in a statement it's "very concerned" about North Korea's weapons launches, calling them a violation of last year's inter-Korean agreements to reduce animosities between the countries. The statement, issued after an emergency meeting of top officials at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, also urged North Korea to stop committing acts that would raise military tensions and join efforts to resume nuclear diplomacy.

North Korea wants widespread sanctions relief in return for disarmament moves that the United States has rejected as insufficient. In a sign of Pyongyang's growing frustration, it has recently demanded that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo be removed from nuclear negotiations and criticized national security adviser John Bolton. North Korea said last month that it had tested a new type of unspecified "tactical guided weapon."

North Korea could choose to fire more missiles with longer ranges in coming weeks to ramp up its pressure on the United States to come up with a roadmap for nuclear talks by the end of this year, said Nam Sung-wook, a professor at Korea University.

"North Korea wants to say, 'We have missiles and nuclear weapons to cope with (U.S.-led) sanctions,'" said Nam. "They can fire short-range missiles a couple more times this month, and there is no guarantee that they won't fire a medium-range missile next month."

During the diplomacy that followed the North's weapons tests of 2017, Kim said that the North would not test nuclear devices or ICBMs. These short-range projectiles don't appear to violate that self-imposed moratorium, and may instead be a way to register Kim's displeasure with Washington without having the diplomacy collapse.

South Korea's liberal president, Moon Jae-in, has doggedly pursued engagement with the North and is seen as a driving force behind the two summits between Trump and Kim.

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha talked by phone with Pompeo about the North Korean launches, Kang's ministry said in a statement. The ministry also said that South Korea's chief nuclear envoy, Lee Do-hoon, had a telephone conversation with Stephen Biegun, the U.S. special representative for North Korea who is scheduled to travel to Seoul next week for talks.

Japan's Defense Ministry said the projectiles weren't a security threat and didn't reach anywhere near the country's coast. Japan will likely avoid any harsh response as Prime Minister </s> North Korea fired an "unidentified projectile" on Thursday afternoon, a South Korean military official said.

It's the second time in a week that North Korea has apparently conducted a launch.

The projectile was fired "towards eastern direction from Sinori area located in Northern Pyongan Province" about 4:30 p.m. local time (3:30 a.m. ET), the South Korean military official said. </s> North Korea on Sunday test-fired a ballistic missile, an official in the South Korean Ministry of Defense told CNN.

It is the first missile test conducted by North Korea since Donald Trump became US president.

Another source within the Defense Ministry told CNN that North Korea launched a projectile from North Pyongan Province. The missile traveled 500 kilometers (310 miles) and landed in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea, sources said.

The launch appears to have involved an intermediate range ballistic missile, a senior US official told CNN.

A State Department official said, “We are aware of reports and monitoring the situation carefully.”

Retired Lt. General Mark Hertling said the test was a step toward an intercontinental ballistic missile.

“That’s the goal of the North Korean politicians,” he said. “This intermediate ballistic missile is certainly dangerous. It has a greater range than some of the Musudan missiles that they have been testing prior to that. And it’s not only a concern for the United States to hit the mainland, but it also has concerns for all of our Asia partners.”

In January, US and South Korean officials told CNN that North Korea might be readying two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) for a test launch in the near future.

North Korea has never successfully tested an ICBM, despite repeatedly showing off at military parades what it claims are working missiles. Some experts have publicly doubted whether these long-range missiles are anything but mock-ups.

In August, it test-fired two intermediate ballistic missiles.

North Korea also has test-launched ballistic missiles from submarines.

North Korea is prohibited from carrying out ballistic missile launches under UN Security Council resolutions aimed in part at curbing the country’s development of nuclear weapons.
The South Korean military claims that North Korean military has launched an "unidentified projectile" into the sea, marking the second time North Korea has conducted a weapons test in a single week.