N. Korea Launches Two Ballistic Missiles Off Eastern Coast

Local Editor

North Korea reportedly launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea for a second time, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

The missiles were fired from the city of Wonsan, where similar launches have occurred, and sources indicated that the projectiles flew a distance of approximately 300 miles.

"The military is keeping close tabs on the situation and prepared to deal with any North Korean provocations," South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff said in a statement.

Earlier on Wednesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un claimed that Pyongyang is in possession of miniaturized nuclear warheads.

"The nuclear warheads have been standardized to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturizing them," Kim said, according to KCNA, adding that "this can be called a true nuclear deterrent."

Relatively, Pyongyang expressed outrage over joint military drills between Washington and Seoul. The largest ever conducted, the exercises are meant to mimic a hypothetical invasion of the North.

Meanwhile, the UN imposed new sanctions, the harshest in 20 years, against Pyongyang last week over nuclear tests conducted earlier this year. The North also launched a satellite in February which the UN deemed a veiled attempt to demonstrate its ballistic missile capabilities.

Hours after those new penalties were put in place, North Korea fired short-range missiles into the ocean.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team