North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles towards its east coast on Wednesday (8 April), South Korea’s military said, in a fresh show of force that underscored rising tensions despite brief signs of a possible thaw between the two sides.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said several short-range missiles were launched from near Wonsan at around 8:50 AM, flying approximately 700 kilometres. The launches followed a separate suspected ballistic missile fired a day earlier from near Pyongyang.
Officials in Seoul and Washington are conducting a detailed analysis, while South Korea convened an emergency National Security Council meeting, condemning the tests as a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Japan also reacted cautiously, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara confirming the missiles did not enter Japanese waters or cause damage, but warning they posed a threat to regional security.
The launches mark North Korea’s fourth and fifth ballistic missile tests this year, continuing a pattern of weapons development that Pyongyang insists is part of its sovereign right to self-defence, despite international sanctions.
A day earlier, North Korea appeared to strike a softer tone, describing South Korean President Lee Jae Myung as “wise” for expressing regret over earlier drone incursions.
However, that perception quickly shifted. Senior Foreign Ministry official Jang Kum Chol dismissed any notion of improved ties, stating that South Korea would remain an “enemy state”.
“The identity of the ROK… can never change,” he said, reinforcing Pyongyang’s long-standing position.
In response, South Korea’s presidential Blue House said hostile rhetoric did “nothing to promote peace and stability” on the Korean peninsula, adding that it would continue pursuing dialogue and coexistence.
Analysts say the rapid shift in Pyongyang's approach highlights a deliberate strategy.
Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said North Korea moved swiftly to shut down “overly optimistic” interpretations while continuing missile launches to reinforce its deterrence.
The two Koreas remain technically at war, as the 1950-1953 conflict ended in an armistice agreement rather than a peace treaty.
The Saudi-led coalition said early Thursday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia’s...
Türkiye says talks with Washington are continuing over six F-35 fighter jets it purchased but never received, as Ankara pushes for the lifting...
Ukraine is set to restart attacks on Russian oil refineries following a two-day pause, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, amid growing tensions wi...
Yemen’s Houthis have claimed responsibility for the recent drone and missile strikes on Saudi Aramco facilities in Dhahran and Riyadh and at King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia, vowing to carry out more attacks in the coming days.
The Saudi-led coalition said early Thursday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said late Monday that it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group toward Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ukraine's soldiers have had their access to Starlink satellite internet restricted. Kyiv's troops use the terminals, made by Elon Musk's SpaceX, to pilot drones. A source in Ukraine's Defence Ministry said the restrictions would make it harder for Kyiv's army to down Russian drones.
Tens of thousands of students have taken to the streets across Albania to protest rising education costs and corruption, with demonstrations turning violent. Prime Minister Edi Rama has rejected calls to resign, insisting his government will remain in office.
Ukraine is set to restart attacks on Russian oil refineries following a two-day pause, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, amid growing tensions with Washington over energy strikes and U.S. military support.
Britain has announced new military, energy and nuclear-safety support for Ukraine following President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s talks with Prime Minister Andy Burnham in London.
A maritime dispute between Washington and Madrid is escalating after a U.S. federal agency proposed new measures that could affect Spanish shipping companies and a range of exports headed to the American market.
Kenya has confirmed a second case of Ebola, intensifying efforts to prevent the spread of the virus after the country recorded its first-ever infection earlier this month.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment