North Korea fires ballistic missile in latest of barrage of tests

North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the sea east of the Korean peninsula on Saturday, the South Korean military has said.

It is the latest in a barrage of weapons tests by the North this year. Some experts say the regime is seeking to perfect its weapons technology and boost its leverage in future dealings with the US.

Japan’s coastguard said North Korea fired what could be a ballistic missile and sent notice about a second possible missile.

Saturday’s launch came five days after the North reportedly flew drones into South Korea’s airspace for the first time since 2017.

South Korea scrambled warplanes and attack helicopters and fired warning shots on Monday after the drones violated its airspace, the South Korean military said.

Drones were tracked crossing from the North over what is known as the military demarcation line between the two countries after being detected in the skies of the western city of Gimpo at about 10.25am (01.25 GMT), the military reported.

The latest missile tests on Saturday morning follow reports by South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff (JCS) of two ballistic missiles fired from the Tongchang-ri area in North Pyongan province on 18 December.

“Our military has strengthened surveillance and vigilance while closely cooperating with the United States and maintaining a full readiness posture,” the JCS said in a statement at the time.

Military tensions on the Korean peninsula have risen sharply this year as Pyongyang has carried out an unprecedented blitz of weapons tests, including the launch of its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile ever in November.

Not counting Saturday, North Korea has fired an estimated 70 ballistic missiles about 38 times this year, Yonhap news agency reported, including about eight intercontinental ballistic missiles.