North Korea fires multiple cruise missiles towards Yellow Sea, says South Korea

INA-  SOURCES


Several cruise missiles were fired by North Korea towards the Yellow Sea on Wednesday (Jan 24), said Seoul's military which hinted at the latest step in a series of tension-raising steps being taken by the nuclear-armed state.

The testing of weapons was accelerated by Pyongyang in the new year, which included tests of what the country called an "underwater nuclear weapon system" as well as a solid-fuelled hypersonic ballistic missile.

"Our military detected several cruise missiles launched by North Korea towards the Yellow Sea at around 7:00 am today," said the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a statement.
"The detailed specifications are being closely analysed by South Korean and US intelligence authorities," the statement added.

Unlike the country's ballistic counterparts, cruise missile testing is not banned under the current sanctions imposed by the United Nations over Pyongyang. Cruise missiles are generally jet-propelled and fly at a lower altitude in comparison to other more sophisticated ballistic missiles, which makes them harder to intercept and detect.  

The latest missile launch by North Korea comes as South Korea has been carrying out a 10-day special forces infiltration drill off its east coast, "in light of serious security situations" with the North, which runs till Thursday (Jan 25), as per the South's navy.

"We will achieve our mission to infiltrate deep into the enemy's territory and neutralize them completely under any circumstances," said the drill's commander, in a statement.

North Korea-South Korea's deteriorating ties 

In recent months, there has been a sharp deterioration in ties between the two countries, with the two sides carrying out live-fire drills along the border, finalising key tension-reducing agreements and increasing frontier security. 
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last week declared South Korea as the country's "principal enemy" and said that a war can break out even if there is a territorial infringement of 0.001 mm.

The North Korean leader further said that Pyongyang will not recognise the de facto maritime border between the two countries - the Northern Limit Line - and appealed for constitutional changes which permitted the North to "occupy" Seoul in war, said the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Meanwhile, South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol informed his cabinet that if the nuclear-armed North adopts any provocative move, Seoul's response "multiple times stronger", while emphasising his military's "overwhelming response capabilities".
At North Korea's year-end policy meetings, Kim threatened to launch a nuclear attack on the South and appealed for a build-up of the military arsenal of his country before any armed conflict he warned can "break out any time".



SOURCE: WION