by REERA YOO | @reeraboo
editor@charactermedia.com
North Korea fired short-range missiles into the West Sea for a second consecutive day on Friday in an apparent protest against the ongoing Seoul-Washington military exercises, said South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
Four projectiles, presumed to have a range of some 140 kilometers, were launched into waters off North Korea’s west coast between 4:13 p.m. and 5 p.m. Friday from Dongchang-ri, where the North’s missile test site is located, according to Yonhap News Agency.
North Korea claims that the joint military drills between Seoul and Washington are “dress rehearsals” for a nuclear invasion against Pyongyang. Both South Korea and the U.S. have repeatedly dismissed North Korea’s claims and stressed that the exercises are defensive in nature, aimed solely at preparing soldiers for a possible invasion by Pyongyang.
The drills began March 2 and are scheduled to run through April 24.
North Korea fired two short-range missiles on the first day of the drills and also test-fired seven ground-to-air missiles into the sea two weeks later.
Earlier this year, the isolated state told the U.S. that it would be willing to impose a temporary moratorium on its nuclear test if the joint military exercises were canceled, reports the Associated Press. The U.S. rejected the offer.
The U.S. has been South Korea’s main military ally since the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended with an armistice. There are about 28,500 American troops stationed in South Korea.
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Featured image courtesy of Yonhap
