North Korea is accused of firing artillery, according to Seoul
Key Takeaways:
- North Korea fired a barrage of artillery shells over the weekend, just days after leader Kim Jong Un pledged to use "might for power" to safeguard the country's sovereignty.
According to Seoul's military, North Korea launched a series of artillery shells over the weekend, only days after leader Kim Jong Un threatened to defend the country's sovereignty with "might for power."
The South Korean military detected "multiple flight trajectories" believed to be projectiles from North Korean artillery late Sunday, according to Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The alleged bullets were launched between 8:07 a.m. (2307 GMT) and 11:03 a.m. Sunday morning, according to the JCS, which emphasized that Seoul maintains a strong military readiness in coordination with treaty ally the US.
Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency has not released details on Sunday's shots, nor on previous recent missile launches, as it usually does 24 hours after they occur.
This year, the nuclear-armed North has conducted a flurry of sanctions-busting weapons tests, including the first full-range intercontinental ballistic missile test since 2017.
Late Sunday, Seoul's presidential national security officials met to review the artillery shots, reaffirming the South's posture of "responding calmly and decisively" to Pyongyang's provocations, according to the office.
Seoul did not immediately publicize its findings on the alleged artillery fire on Sunday morning, according to the presidential office, because the shots were of a "typical" kind with a low height and short-range.
The current salvo of fire comes after warnings from Seoul and Washington that Kim's government is planning its seventh nuclear test, a move that US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman predicted would be met with a "quick and forceful" retaliation.
During a major three-day political summit that ended on Friday, Kim revealed ambitions to strengthen the country's military capability.
South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup stated on Sunday that Seoul would "strengthen" its defense capabilities, including its security cooperation with Washington and Tokyo, in response to Pyongyang's nuclear threat.