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South Korea and US fire missiles into sea in response to North Korea South Korea military apologises after failed missile launch sparks alarm
(about 4 hours later)
The US and South Korea fired missiles into the East Sea - also known as the Sea of JapanThe US and South Korea fired missiles into the East Sea - also known as the Sea of Japan
South Korea and the US military have fired a volley of missiles into the sea, Seoul says, in response to North Korea's launch of a missile over Japan. South Korea's military has apologised after a failed missile launch during a joint drill with the United States sparked alarm among residents in the coastal city of Gangneung.
The missiles were fired into the East Sea - also known as the Sea of Japan - between the Korean peninsula and Japan. They reported hearing an explosion and seeing a fire overnight.
Pyongyang test-fired a ballistic missile on Tuesday, sending it over Japan for the first time since 2017. But the military, which has said there were no casualties, didn't acknowledge the incident until seven hours later.
In response, the US, Japan and South Korea have been conducting military drills in a show of force. The launch was in response to North Korea firing a missile over Japan early on Tuesday.
On Wednesday South Korea and the US each fired a pair of US-made Army Tactical Missile System missiles, according to a statement. This is the first time Pyongyang has flow a missile over Japan since 2017 - and it prompted a show of force from the US, Japan and South Korea who conducted military drills. Seoul and Washington also fired a volley of missiles into the East Sea - also known as the Sea of Japan - between the Korean peninsula and Japan.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told CNN the launch was designed to show the US and their allies have the "the military capabilities at the ready to respond to provocations by the North". The South Korean military later confirmed that one of their missiles failed soon after it was launched and crashed - this was separate to the ones launched with the US.
A South Korean missile failed shortly after launch and crashed, but caused no casualties, its military separately reported. The military also said that the Hyunmoo-2 missile carried a warhead but that it did not explode, and apologised for causing worry.
The decision by Pyongyang to send a missile over Japan on Tuesday has been seen as a deliberate escalation to get the attention of Tokyo and Washington. Residents in Gangneung said they saw a bright flash and heard an explosion at around 01:00 on Wednesday (16:00 GMT Tuesday).
They were left in the dark for hours, and many of them posted on social media wondering what had happened, while sharing photos and videos of the incident. The footage showed what appeared to be a brightly burning fire, with smoke rising from a distance.
"I cant sleep because I feel anxious [after hearing] the explosion," said one user, according to news site Kang Won Ilbo. Another wondered if a plane had crashed.
An explosion near Gangneung last night caused a social media storm in South Korea. Zero media reports or emergency alerts, raising suspicions of a cover up, a jet crash, or a missile launch.It turns out it was the latter, gone very wrong.pic.twitter.com/AjT6dHPcYL
North Korea's missile launch on Tuesday was the fifth carried out by Pyongyang in a week. Many of its missile tests are conducted on a flight path that reaches a high altitude, avoiding flights over its neighbours.
N Korea missile tests: What does Kim Jong-un want?N Korea missile tests: What does Kim Jong-un want?
What missiles has North Korea been testing?What missiles has North Korea been testing?
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida described that launch as "violent behaviour", while US President Joe Biden reinforced Washington's "ironclad commitment" to Japan's defence during a phone call with Mr Kishida.
Later on Tuesday, White House spokesman John Kirby said it was "obviously destabilizing."
As the missile flew over Japan on Tuesday, people in the north, including on Hokkaido island and in the city of Aomori, woke up to the noise of sirens and text alerts which read: "North Korea appears to have launched a missile. Please evacuate into buildings or underground."
The UN prohibits North Korea from testing ballistic and nuclear weapons. Flying missiles towards or over other countries without any warning or consultation also contravenes international norms.
North Korea's missile launch on Tuesday was the fifth carried out by Pyongyang in a week.
Many of its missile tests are conducted on a flight path that reaches a high altitude, avoiding flights over its neighbours.
But firing over or past Japan allows North Korean scientists to test missiles under circumstances "that are more representative of the conditions they'd endure in real-world use", analyst Ankit Panda told news agency Reuters.But firing over or past Japan allows North Korean scientists to test missiles under circumstances "that are more representative of the conditions they'd endure in real-world use", analyst Ankit Panda told news agency Reuters.
These actions have contributed to enduring tensions between North Korea and Japan, rooted in Japan's colonisation of Korea from 1910 to 1945 and the North's abduction of Japanese citizens in the past.
In September, North Korea passed a law declaring itself to be a nuclear weapons state, with leader Kim Jong-un ruling out the possibility of talks on denuclearisation.In September, North Korea passed a law declaring itself to be a nuclear weapons state, with leader Kim Jong-un ruling out the possibility of talks on denuclearisation.