North Korea Defies UN Sanctions, Fires Anti-Cruise Ship Missiles

The missiles are believed to have travelled 200km (124 miles).The launch is the latest in a fast-paced series of missile tests defying world pressure and threats of more sanctions.

It comes less than a week after the United Nations Security Council passed fresh sanctions on the reclusive state, which said it would continue to pursue its nuclear and weapons programme without delay.

The projectiles were launched Thursday morning from the North Korean coastal city of Wonsan, South Korea’s Office of Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

South Korean President Moon-Jae-in has been briefed on the latest launch, the military said, declining to give further details.

Thursday’s launch is the fourth missile test by the North since Moon took office on May 10 pledging to engage in dialogue with Pyongyang.

Under third-generation leader Kim Jong Un, North Korea has been conducting such tests at an unprecedented pace in an effort to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of hitting the mainland United States.

On Tuesday, footage emerged showing an excited Kim Jong-un cheering, laughing and applauding during an aerial war games where his military jets practise fighting enemy targets.

North Korea‘s state-run television KRT broadcast a video of Kim inspecting a competition involving the air force.

The video showed Kim watching the annual air combat contest – including fighter jets dropping bombs at targets on land.

In 2016, the North’s sole major ally China banned exports to the country of jet fuel and other oil products used to make rocket fuel.

This put China in line with new United Nations sanctions on Pyongyang after its nuclear test and rocket launch last year.

North Korea has rejected all UN Security Council resolutions dating back to 2006 when it conducted its first nuclear test, saying such moves directly infringe its sovereign right to self-defense.

The event comes after North Korea last week released dramatic pictures of its latest “successful” ballistic missile test.

Photographs emerged of a precision-guided rocket which was blasted into the sea off the secretive country’s eastern coast.

The missile was believed to be a Scud-class ballistic missile and flew about 450 km (280 miles), South Korean officials said.

The launch, said to be personally supervised by leader Kim, is the third test to be carried out in three weeks and comes amid growing tensions with the US over its weapons programme.

Officials said the missile had zeroed in on a chosen target in and landed just metres apart what was lauded as a “victory” for the country.
(NAN)