North Korea launched 10 SRBMs into East Sea, JCS says

North Korea fired around 10 short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) into the East Sea from the Wonsan area on Thursday, its first launch in 17 days, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

South Korean and U.S. military authorities detected the missiles fired from the Kangwon Province toward the East Sea at around 12:30 p.m.

“The missiles flew about 250 kilometers [155 miles], and South Korea and the United States are conducting a detailed analysis of their exact specifications,” the JCS said.

Military officials and experts believe the North likely fired its 600-millimeter superlarge multiple rocket launcher, known as the KN-25. The weapon is an SRBM-class system with a range of about 400 kilometers, putting the entire Korean Peninsula within reach. 

The launch is the North’s third missile provocation since a land mines explosion in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) on Sept. 21 that injured several South Korean troops. It also follows Seoul's proposal to open dialogue last week to confirm the exact location of the military demarcation line, the de facto border between the two Koreas, and prevent accidental clashes, with no response from Pyongyang. The JCS and the United Nations Command concluded that North Korean soldiers planted the land mines south of the line in a clear violation of the armistice.

The United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of a nuclear disarmament resolution is also seen as a factor behind the launch. The resolution, adopted Tuesday, states that North Korea cannot be recognized as a nuclear weapons state and calls for the complete dismantlement of its nuclear and missile programs.

North Korea pushed back at the end of the session.

“The so-called denuclearization of North Korea is an agenda that has been finally concluded, irreversibly, both theoretically and practically,” it said.

BY KIM EUN-BIN, SHIM SEOK-YONG [[email protected]]