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 has fired several short-range projectiles eastward from the city of Wonsan on its east coast, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, which initially misidentified the objects as missiles.

The projectiles went off at 9:06 a.m. on Saturday from the east coast town of Wonsan in the direction of the Sea of Japan (known in the Koreas as the East Sea), Yonhap news agency reported, quoting South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), which initially misidentified the objects as ballistic missiles. The projectiles flew between 70 and 200km.

South Korean and US authorities are reportedly analyzing the firing.

Disarmament talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump collapsed in Hanoi earlier this year when the US leader refused to relax sanctions without Pyonyang’s unconditional denuclearization.

Following a summit in Vladivostok last month, Vladimir Putin affirmed Russia’s support for gradual nuclear disarmament in exchange for sanctions relief.

Putin and Trump discussed the issue in a phone call on Friday, agreeing on the need to pursue denuclearization, with Trump pushing Putin to join the US in applying pressure on Kim to disarm.

Thawing relations between North and South Korea have seemingly reversed their course in the aftermath of the failed Hanoi summit, with Pyongyang pulling out of a celebration of the anniversary of last year’s historic summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Kim in the DMZ, and ceasing to attend weekly joint meetings.

The North has also slammed the South for ramping up its participation in “war games” with the US, warning last week that a “corresponding response” was imminent in the face of such “acts of perfidy.” The US and South Korea began two weeks of joint air force exercises last Monday, a more low-key version of the annual Max Thunder drills.

North Korea conducted 17 missile tests in 2017, provoking international outcry when several of the missiles passed over Japan. Last year, Kim began dismantling the North’s missile and rocket test site, a process that has reportedly been reversed in the wake of the failed Hanoi nuclear talks, and promised to stop testing ICBMs.</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>SEOUL, South Korea — 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.

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.

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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.

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 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 without having the diplomacy collapse.

After the launches, South Korea's presidential national security adviser, the defense minister and the intelligence chief gathered at the presidential Blue House to monitor the situation, according to the Blue House. It said South Korea and the United States are closely sharing information about the launches.

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 Shinzo Abe seeks to secure his own summit with Kim.

Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report.</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>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 Hanoi.

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 east coast city of Wonsan around 9 a.m. (0000 GMT) which flew about 70 kms to 200 kms (44-124 miles) in a north-easterly direction.

The South Korean military said it was conducting joint analysis with the United States of the latest launches. Experts say the projectiles seem to be multiple rocket launchers, not ballistic missiles.

Analysts said that no matter what type of projectile was fired, the timing of North Korea’s latest action sent a message after the failed summit between North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump in February, when the two disagreed over weapons dismantlement and sanctions relief.

“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 Defense and Security Forum.

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

In Seoul, South Korea’s presidential office said the country’s defense minister, intelligence chief and presidential security advisors had gathered to monitor the situation.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha agreed to “cautiously respond” to the latest firing and to continue communications during a phone call on Saturday, South Korea’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

Pompeo also held talks with Japan’s Foreign Minister Taro Kono, and agreed, together with South Korea, to cooperate and share information, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.

“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.

During a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in late April, North Korea’s Kim said that peace and security on the Korean peninsula depended on the United States, warning that a state of hostility could easily return, according to North Korean media.

“The North wanted to deliver a message on security guarantees to Washington through the mouth of Putin, but the summit fell short of driving change in the U.S. attitude, leading the North to take stronger action today,” said Hong Min, a senior researcher of Korea Institute for National Unification.

Trump raised the issue of North Korea during discussions with Putin on Friday. Sanders said Trump told Putin several times “the need and importance of Russia stepping up and continuing to put pressure on North Korea to denuclearize.”

Kim vowed in April to refrain from further tests of 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 program.

“My fear is that we are at the beginning stages of a slide back to the days of nuclear war threats and personal insults, a dangerous cycle of spiking tensions that must be avoided at all costs,” said Harry Kazianis at the Center for “the National Interest, a think-tank.</s>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>North Korea launched unidentified projectiles into the sea Saturday, the South Korean military said, in what could be Pyongyang's first short-range missile launch for more than a year as it seeks to up pressure on Washington with nuclear talks deadlocked.

The United States and North Korea have been at loggerheads since the collapse of a summit between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump in February, where the two sides clashed over sanctions and the extent of Pyongyang's concessions on its atomic arsenal.

North Korea "fired a number of short-range projectiles from its Hodo peninsula near the east coast town of Wonsan to the northeastern direction from 9:06 am (0006 GMT) to 09:27 am today", the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

The projectiles travelled from 70 to 200 kilometres (45 to 125 miles) towards the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, the JCS added.

In an earlier statement, it had said Pyongyang had launched an unidentified short-range missile.

The last North Korean missile launch was in November 2017.

The latest firing comes just a day after South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Pyongyang should show "visible, concrete and substantial" denuclearisation action if it wants sanctions relief.

That issue was also at the centre of the February talks in Hanoi, where North Korea demanded immediate sanctions relief, but the two sides disagreed on what Pyongyang should give up in return.

Earlier this week, North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui warned Washington of an "unwanted outcome" if it did not adjust its stance on economic sanctions.

North Korea did not carry out any missile or nuclear tests last year, as Kim held his first historic summits with the leaders of the United States and South Korea.

Saturday's launch "does not violate Kim Jong Un's self-imposed missile-testing moratorium", which "only applied to intercontinental-range ballistic missiles", said North Korea analyst Ankit Panda.

"North Korea historically did not generally test anything while talks were on with the US. Talks are not on."

The White House said it was "aware of North Korea's actions tonight".

"We will continue to monitor as necessary," Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.

Japan, meanwhile, said there was "no confirmation of ballistic missiles" entering its territory.

"At this point, there is no confirmation of any situation that may impact our national security," the Japanese defence ministry said in a statement.

Hodo Peninsula, where Saturday's firing took place, has been used as a training area for "live-fire testing, training exercises for artillery and coastal defence cruise missiles" since the 1960s, according to the respected 38 North website.

It wasn't until the mid-1990s that a "formal training area" was established in the region, and Hodo has been "increasingly used for ballistic missile and long-range artillery rocket testing" during the last 10 years, it added.

Since the collapse of the Hanoi summit between Kim and Trump in February, South Korean president Moon Jae-in -- who brokered the first meeting between the mercurial leaders -- has tried to salvage diplomacy, but Pyongyang has remained largely unresponsive.

Kim slammed the South in a speech to his country's rubber-stamp legislature last month, saying it should not "pose as a meddlesome 'mediator'" between the US and Pyongyang.

Last week, on the anniversary of the Panmunjom summit, Pyongyang's state media KCNA said Washington and Seoul "keep pushing the situation of the Korean peninsula and the region to an undesirable phase", criticising their joint military exercises.

"Chairman Kim has decided to remind the world -- and specifically the United States -- that his weapons capabilities are growing by the day," said Harry J. Kazianis, Director of Korean Studies at the Center for the National Interest.

"My fear is that we are at the beginning stages of a slide back to the days of nuclear war threats and personal insults, a dangerous cycle of spiking tensions that must be avoided at all costs."</s>SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired several “unidentified short-range projectiles” into the sea off its east coast on Saturday, prompting South Korea to call on its communist neighbour to “stop acts that escalate military tension on the Korean Peninsula”.

The South Korean military initially described it as a missile launch, but subsequently gave a more vague description. The latest firing came after the North’s test of what it called a tactical guided weapons system in April.

Analysts suspected the flurry of military activity by Pyongyang was an attempt to exert pressure on the United States to give ground in negotiations to end the North’s nuclear programme after a summit in February ended in failure.

South Korea’s presidency urged North Korea to refrain from further action in one of the most stiffly-worded statements since the two Koreas embarked on reconciliation efforts early last year.

“We are very concerned about the North’s latest action,” South Korea’s presidential spokeswoman said in the statement, adding that it violates an inter-Korean military agreement.

“We expect North Korea to actively join efforts towards the fast resumption of denuclearisation talks,” she said, after a meeting attended by the country’s defence minister, presidential security advisors, and intelligence chief.

Talks stalled after a second summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi in February failed to produce a deal to end Pyongyang’s nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.

Yang Uk, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defence and Security Forum, described Saturday’s action as an expression of the North’s frustration.

“It is a message that it could return to the previous confrontational mode if there is no breakthrough in the stalemate,” said Yang.

The projectiles, fired from the east coast city of Wonsan around 9 a.m. (0000 GMT) flew about 70 kms to 200 kms (44-124 miles) in a north-easterly direction, South Korea’s Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

The South Korean military said it was conducting joint analysis with the United States of the latest launches. Experts say the projectiles appeared to be multiple rocket launchers, not ballistic missiles.

The North’s last missile launch was in November 2017, when it tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). 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.

But, on Tuesday, North Korea’s vice foreign minister warned that the United States would face “undesired consequences” if it fails to present a new position in denuclearization talks by the end of the year.

Trump raised the issue of North Korea during a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. Sanders said Trump told Putin several times “the need and importance of Russia stepping up and continuing to put pressure on North Korea to denuclearize.”

During a summit with Putin in late April, North Korea’s Kim said that peace and security on the Korean peninsula depended on the United States, warning that a state of hostility could easily return, according to North Korean media.

“The North wanted to deliver a message on security guarantees to Washington through the mouth of Putin, but the summit fell short of driving change in the U.S. attitude, leading the North to take stronger action today,” said Hong Min, a senior researcher of Korea Institute for National Unification.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha agreed to “cautiously respond” to the latest firing and to continue communications during a phone call on Saturday, South Korea’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

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

Pompeo also held talks with Japan’s Foreign Minister Taro Kono, and agreed, together with South Korea, to cooperate and share information, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.

“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.</s>SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea on Saturday fired an unidentified short-range missile from 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 over its nuclear arsenal.

South Korean and U.S. authorities are analyzing the details, but if it is confirmed as a firing of a banned ballistic missile, 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.

The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North's missile was fired from Wonsan on the nation's east coast.

During the diplomacy that followed a rocky 2017, Kim Jong Un said that the North would not test nuclear devices or ICBMs.

This short-range missile would not violate that self-imposed moratorium. It may instead be a way to register his displeasure with Washington and the state of talks meant to provide sanctions relief for disarmament without having the diplomacy collapse.
North Korea fires several short-range projectiles from the east coast city of Wonsan.