SEOUL: North Korea fired several ballistic missiles from its capital Pyongyang toward the sea off its east coast at around 7:50 a.m. local time on Sunday, South Korea’s military said.
The first launch of North Korea’s ballistic missiles in two months comes as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will make a state visit to China starting on Sunday, where Seoul has said peace on the Korean peninsula would be discussed.
“Our military has strengthened surveillance and vigilance in preparation for further launches,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement, saying it is closely sharing information with the United States and Japan.
The missiles are believed to have already fallen, according to Japan’s Ministry of Defense.
The last time Pyongyang tested its ballistic missile was in November.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for more than double the production capacity of tactical guided weapons on his latest visit to a munitions factory on Saturday, North Korea’s state media reported.
In recent weeks, Kim has made a series of visits to factories that build weapons, as well as to a nuclear-powered submarine, and has overseen missile tests ahead of this year’s Ninth Party Congress of the Workers’ Party to set out major policy goals.
China’s President Xi Jinping will host Lee on a state visit starting on Sunday.
Wi Sung-lac, Lee’s security adviser, said Seoul expects Beijing to play a role in promoting peace on the Korean peninsula, without elaborating on details of the summit agenda.
Lee’s agenda with Xi includes persuading China to facilitate dialogue with North Korea, experts said, at a time when North Korea has dismissed Lee’s outreach.
