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N Korea fires missile across maritime border for first time North and South Korea fire missiles across maritime border for first time
(about 1 hour later)
North Korea has fired a missile south of the maritime border, triggering retaliatory strikes from the North on Wednesday morningNorth 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 peninsula's split. North and South Korea have both fired missiles across their maritime border for the first time.
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. The South retaliated on Wednesday three hours after Pyongyang fired a missile which landed less than 60km (37mi) from its eastern city of Sokcho.
South Korea later fired three missiles in response to the North. Seoul said such a firing was an "unacceptable" breach of its territory.
Seoul's President Yoon Suk-yeol had called Pyongyang's launch an "effective territorial invasion". It fired three air-to-ground missiles in response, which officials said landed a similar distance past the Northern Limit Line.
Pyongyang fired at least 10 missiles "east and west" on Wednesday morning, the South Korean military said. The South said the North fired at least 10 missiles on Wednesday. These are believed to be in response to joint military drills being carried out by the US and South Korea this week.
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. At least one of the missiles- launched just before 09:00 (00:00 GMT) on Wednesday - landed about 26km south of the border, 57km east of Sokcho and 167km north-west of Ulleung 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. The launch had triggered air-raid sirens on Ulleung, and residents were told to evacuate to underground shelters.
They added South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol had ordered a "swift response" to the latest aggression. It was picked up immediately by South Korean and Japanese authorities who swiftly condemned the escalation from Pyongyang.
Both South Korea and Japan's leaders have called national security meetings in response to North Korea's latest firings. South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol labelled it an "effective territorial invasion" and vowed a "swift and firm response". However, countries technically only have a right to establish its territorial sea to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles (22km).
Around three hours later, the South fired three precision air-to-ground missiles from warplanes in waters off its east coast.
Pyongyang has yet to respond to the South's latest launch but the firings are a marked escalation in hostilities across the peninsula this year, which had already witnessed over 50 missile launches from North Korea.
It comes as the West has been bracing for a potential nuclear weapon test from the North, with intelligence reports suggesting Pyongyang is preparing to carry out its first such test since 2017.
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. Wargaming a North Korean attack
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. The North had on Tuesday issued a statement threatening the allies to stop the joint drills, saying they would face further "powerful measures" otherwise.
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. On Wednesday morning it then fired at least 10 missiles of different types in "east and west" directions, the South Korean military said.
The missiles come a day after Pyongyang warned the US and South Korea to stop its joint military drills this week around the peninsula. One of those missiles had breached the Northern Limit Line - the defacto maritime border.
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.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.