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| North Korea 'test fires missiles' | North Korea 'test fires missiles' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| North Korea has test-fired two short-range missiles off its east coast, a spokesman for South Korea's defence ministry has said. | North Korea has test-fired two short-range missiles off its east coast, a spokesman for South Korea's defence ministry has said. |
| The spokesman said the surface-to-ship missiles were launched from a base near the port of Wonsan at about 0900 GMT. | The spokesman said the surface-to-ship missiles were launched from a base near the port of Wonsan at about 0900 GMT. |
| Pyongyang had warned shipping to stay out of waters off its east coast. | Pyongyang had warned shipping to stay out of waters off its east coast. |
| The UN tightened sanctions against North Korea after it launched several missiles and carried out an underground nuclear test in May. | The UN tightened sanctions against North Korea after it launched several missiles and carried out an underground nuclear test in May. |
| "One [missile] was fired at 1720 (0820 GMT) and the other at 1800 from Sinsang-ni" near the east coast city of Wonsan, South Korean defence ministry spokesman Won Tae-jae said. | |
| South Korean media had reported that a missile launch was imminent. Previous North Korean warnings to shipping to avoid its coastal waters have been preludes to test launches. | South Korean media had reported that a missile launch was imminent. Previous North Korean warnings to shipping to avoid its coastal waters have been preludes to test launches. |
| Nuclear fears | |
| Japanese and South Korean media have also reported that North Korea may be preparing to launch a long-range ballistic missile. | |
| Such a rocket was launched in May, with Pyongyang saying it was intended to put a satellite into orbit. | |
| There are fears that North Korea is trying to produce nuclear warheads small enough to put on long-range missiles. | |
| The North may be about to launch another long-range missile, media say | |
| After six-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear ambitions broke down earlier this year, Pyongyang said it would "weaponise" its plutonium stocks and start enriching uranium for a light-water nuclear reactor. | |
| Enriched uranium can be used as fuel for a nuclear reactor or, if more-highly enriched, it can be used to make atomic bombs. | |
| Earlier this week, a North Korean ship suspected of transporting weapons to Burma turned around and appeared to head back to North Korea. | |
| It has been under US surveillance for about a week and is the first vessel monitored under the new UN sanctions. | |
| Resolution 1874, passed on 12 June, allows for inspections of air, sea and land shipments in and out of North Korea suspected to be carrying banned arms and weapons-related material. | |
| The North has said it will treat any interception of its ships as a declaration of war. | |
| The latest missile launches came hours after North and South Korean officials ended talks at the joint Kaesong industrial zone in North Korea without progress being made. | The latest missile launches came hours after North and South Korean officials ended talks at the joint Kaesong industrial zone in North Korea without progress being made. |
| South Korean officials said they had rejected a Northern demand, made in earlier meetings, to pay higher wages and increased rent in the factory zone, located just across the border in the North. | South Korean officials said they had rejected a Northern demand, made in earlier meetings, to pay higher wages and increased rent in the factory zone, located just across the border in the North. |