(Newswire.net— May 10, 2019) — Seoul, South Korea – North Korea has executed a new projectile launch today, the South Korean military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff claims, adding that it has not yet specified what type of missiles have been launched.
“North Korea fired unidentified missiles to the east” from the province of North Pyongyang, a joint South Korean military official said.
The unidentified projectiles were reportedly fired at approximately 16:30 local time (7:30 GMT) from the Sino-ri missile base some 130 miles north of the border with South Korea, Russia Today reports.
This was the launch of a new type of rocket, not yet classified but probably short range according to the Joint Chiefs’ statement.
North Korea’s officials said the testing of a new type of rocket is a part of standard military defensive drills. South Korea’s president Moon said the launch is a result of failed negotiations between the US President Donald Trump and Korean President Kim Jong-Un.
“North Korea seemed to be discontented it could not reach a deal in Hanoi,” Moon told South Korean broadcaster KBS Thursday.
Just a few days ago, North Korea conducted a military exercise during which several missiles were fired, including short-range missiles according to experts.
North Korea announced through its state-owned media that firing rockets and, apparently the short-range ballistic missile, was part of regular and defensive military exercise and mocked South Korea’s allegations that it was a clear provocation.
This is happening amid delays in the diplomatic process between North Korea and the United States and the efforts to reduce the North Korean nuclear capacity.
At the historic summit of US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in June 2018 in Singapore, it was agreed to strive for the complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.
Since then, however, no concrete progress has been made, and the second summit of the two leaders in Hanoi ended with failure.
According to US President Trump, the talks failed because Kim demanded too much. The N. Korean President demanded cancelation of US imposed sanctions in exchange for starting dismantling his nuclear arsenal.