This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-63481183

The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
N Korea fires missile south of maritime border N Korea fires missile across maritime border for first time
(about 1 hour later)
File photo of a North Korean missile test North Korea has fired a missile south of the maritime border, triggering retaliatory strikes from the North on Wednesday morning
North Korea has fired a missile towards the South, which crossed the two countries' maritime border for the first time since the division of Korea. North Korea has fired a missile towards the South, which crossed the two countries' maritime border for the first time since the peninsula's split.
The short-range ballistic missile landed in waters off South Korea's east coast and near the island of Ulleungdo, triggering the island's air-raid alarm. The short-range ballistic missile landed some 60km (37 miles) from the South's city of Sokcho and triggered air-raid alarms on Ulleungdo island.
Residents there were told to evacuate to underground shelters. South Korea later fired three missiles in response to the North.
Pyongyang fired at least 10 missiles off its east coast on Wednesday morning, South Korean officials say. Seoul's President Yoon Suk-yeol had called Pyongyang's launch an "effective territorial invasion".
Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staffs said the missiles were of "various types... [fired] towards the east and west", adding that its president had ordered a "swift response" to Pyongyang's latest launches. Pyongyang fired at least 10 missiles "east and west" on Wednesday morning, the South Korean military said.
Both South Korean and Japanese authorities recorded the missiles on Wednesday morning, including the one which had breached the Northern Limit Line. Later on Wednesday, South Korea's military said it had fired three air-to-ground missiles towards north of its maritime border, in response to the North's launch.
That missile had fallen about 26km (16mi) south of the maritime demarcation border, 57km east of the South Korean city of Sokcho and 167km north-west of Ulleungdo island. It had earlier declared that military could not "tolerate this kind of North Korea's provocative act, and will strictly and firmly respond under close South Korea-U.S. cooperation," said the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a statement.
South Korean authorities immediately condemned the launches, which occurred just before 09:00 (00:00 GMT). President Yoon Suk-yeol has called a National Security Cabinet meeting. They added South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol had ordered a "swift response" to the latest aggression.
The missiles come a day after Pyongyang warned the US and South Korea to stop conducting joint military drills around the peninsula this week. Both South Korea and Japan's leaders have called national security meetings in response to North Korea's latest firings.
On Tuesday, North Korea had threatened to follow-up with "powerful" measures.
Why is Kim Jong-un upping the pressure?Why is Kim Jong-un upping the pressure?
Both countries had recorded the missiles just before 09:00 (00:00 GMT) on Wednesday, including the one which breached the Northern Limit Line - the defacto maritime border.
That missile had landed in waters 26km (16 miles) south of the demarcation line, 57km east of the South Korean city of Sokcho and 167km north-west of Ulleungdo island.
This was "very unusual and unacceptable" as it had fallen close to "territorial waters south of the Northern Limit Line for the first time" since the peninsula was divided, said Kang Shin-chul, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The missiles come a day after Pyongyang warned the US and South Korea to stop its joint military drills this week around the peninsula.
On Tuesday, North Korea had threatened that if the allies didn't stop their drills, it would take "powerful" measures.
North Korea's launches on Wednesday follows a blitz of missiles it fired last month which it said were also in response to US, South Korea and Japan joint drills. It had described its response as a "simulation" for a nuclear attack on the South.