North Korea launches missile salvo after US-South Korea-Japan drills

North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles ⁠from the Wonsan area towards the sea off its east coast, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said on Saturday.

The missiles were launched at around 5.20am and flew about 250 km (155 miles), the JCS said in a statement, ‌adding that South Korean and US authorities were conducting a detailed analysis of their specifications.

South Korean and US intelligence authorities had tracked and shared information on the launches from the outset, while information on the ballistic missiles was also shared with Japan, the JCS said.

“South Korea’s military is closely monitoring North Korean activity and maintaining the capability and readiness to respond overwhelmingly to any ⁠provocation under its combined defence posture with the United States,” the JCS said in a statement.

South Korea’s ‌presidential National Security Office convened an emergency security meeting involving the defence ministry, the JCS and other relevant agencies following the launch, the presidential office said.

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Officials reviewed the ‌government’s response, assessed the impact of the launches on South Korea’s security and examined necessary ⁠measures, the presidential office ⁠said. It urged North Korea to immediately stop ballistic missile launches, calling them a serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions.