The US military says North Korea launched two ballistic missiles on Wednesday morning. It says one of them exploded soon after launch and the other fell in Sea of Japan.
It says the missiles were fired from the west of North Korea.
Japan’s defense minister Gen Nakatani says one appears to have fallen into waters of its exclusive economic zone. He says the missile crashed into the Sea of Japan some 250 kilometers off the country’s coast. It’s the first time a North Korean missile has fallen into that zone.
The US military says both missiles appear to be medium-range Rodong.
The US State Department strongly condemned the launches. It says they only increase the international community’s resolve to counter North Korea’s actions.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has also condemned the launches.
He said that it’s an unforgivable act that poses a grave threat to Japan’s security. He said it violates UN Security Council resolutions, and Japan has lodged a protest with North Korea for the act.
Abe says Japan will deal with the situation while working together with the United States and South Korea.
Source and image: NHK
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