North Korea fired several ballistic missiles on Thursday morning (local time), South Korean and Japanese authorities report. One of them may have been an intercontinental long-range missile, according to the Japanese government. Residents in parts of Japan were asked to barricade themselves indoors.
Although it was first warned that a missile had flown over Japan, the Japanese government later said that was not true. The missile in question has disappeared from view of the authorities somewhere above the Sea of Japan, according to the Japanese defense minister.
“North Korea’s repeated missile launches are a disgrace and absolutely cannot be forgiven,” said Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The day before, North Korea’s nuclear power fired 23 more missiles, the largest number since Kim Jong-un came to power. Among them was a ballistic missile that landed in the sea about 57 kilometers from the South Korean city of Sokcho.
The North Korean launches were in response to large-scale joint military exercises by the United States and South Korea in the region, North Korea said. Isolated North Korea usually sees such military drills by South Koreans and Americans as preparations for an invasion. Washington and Seoul contradict that.
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