South Korea has referred to as the nuclear-armed North Korea its “enemy” (File)

Seoul:

North Korea fired at the least one unspecified ballistic missile Saturday, South Korea’s army stated. Pyongyang’s first check because the begin of the 12 months that comes days earlier than Seoul and Washington are on account of begin joint tabletop workout routines.

“North Korea fires an unidentified ballistic missile into (the) East Sea,” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Employees stated, referring to the physique of water also referred to as the Sea of Japan.

Tokyo additionally confirmed the launch, with the defence ministry saying that Pyongyang had launched a “doable ballistic missile,” with out giving additional particulars.

Army tensions have risen on the Korean peninsula after a 12 months through which North Korea declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear state, and carried out sanctions-busting weapons exams almost each month.

In response, Seoul has ramped up joint army drills with key safety ally Washington, in a bid to persuade the more and more nervous South Korean public of America’s dedication to discourage Pyongyang.

The Saturday launch — Pyongyang’s first since January 1 — got here days earlier than Seoul and Washington are on account of kick off a brand new tabletop train in Washington, through which the 2 allies will talk about how they might reply to the usage of nuclear weapons by Pyongyang.

The train subsequent week will concentrate on “joint planning, joint administration and joint response with Washington’s nuclear belongings” in case of a nuclear assault by Pyongyang, a South Korean defence ministry official advised AFP on Friday.

Pyongyang on Friday threatened an “unprecedentedly” sturdy response to approaching US-South Korea drills, describing them as preparations for battle.

If Washington and Seoul go forward with the drills, “they may face unprecedentedly persistent and powerful counteractions”, a spokesperson for the North Korean international ministry stated Friday.

South Korea’s hawkish President Yoon Suk Yeol, who took workplace in Could 2022, has vowed to get robust on the North, and had moved to shortly ramp up joint drills, which had been scaled again throughout the Covid pandemic.

They have been additionally paused for a bout of ill-fated diplomacy with Pyongyang underneath his predecessor.

– No talks, extra missiles –

South Korea additionally referred to as the nuclear-armed North its “enemy” in a defence doc earlier this week, the primary time in six years it has used the time period, signalling an extra hardening of Seoul’s place towards Pyongyang.

North Korea’s missile exams final 12 months additionally included one which landed close to South Korea’s territorial waters for the primary time because the finish of the Korean Battle in 1953.

In December, it despatched 5 drones throughout the border into Seoul’s airspace, together with skies close to its presidential workplace.

Pyongyang has repeatedly stated it’s not enthusiastic about additional talks, and North Korean chief Kim Jong Un lately referred to as for an “exponential” enhance in his nation’s nuclear arsenal.

At a army parade in Pyongyang final week, North Korea confirmed off a file variety of nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missiles, together with what analysts stated was presumably a brand new solid-fuelled ICBM.

The weapons on present included at the least 10 of the North’s largest Hwasong-17 ICBMs, in addition to automobiles apparently designed to hold a solid-fuelled ICBM.

North Korea has lengthy sought to develop a solid-fuel ICBM as a result of such missiles are simpler to retailer and transport, are extra secure and faster to organize for launch, and thus more durable for the USA to detect and destroy pre-emptively.

(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)