S. Korea and US fire missiles after NK tests ICBM and two shorter missiles

[Source: Yonhap]

South Korea and the U.S. combined forces Wednesday fired missiles in response to North Korea’s missile provocations for the first time in nearly five years after the two summits in recent meeting vowed to enhance deterrence capabilities against North Korea’s nuclear and missile dangers.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff issued a statement that the U.S. and South Korean militaries fired two surface-to-surface missiles in response to three ballistic missile launches by North Korea earlier in the morning that included a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)

President Yoon Suk-yeol convened his first National Security Council meeting after the launches and commanded the response fire, declaring “North Korea’s sustained provocations can only result in stronger and faster South Korea-U.S> combined deterrence.”

The ICBM if confirmed would be a second launch after the biggest-yet Hwansong-17 fire in March that goes against North Korea’s pledged in 2018 and United Nations resolution. The latest reached a maximum height of 549 kilometers (335 miles) and flew 360 kilometers, according to the Korean military.

[Source: The Presidential office]

Upon detecting movements of missile launches, South Korea’s air force on Tuesday conducted an “elephant walk” involving 30 fully-armed F-15K fighter jets parading along a runway in formation.

The provocations came as President Joe Biden wrapped up his visit to South Korea and Japan. North Korea so far this year has fired off missiles 17 times and renewed testing of ICBC targeting the U.S. mainland for the first time since 2017.

The latest comes as South Korean and U.S. presidents offered vaccine and other aid for North Korea grappled with the outbreak of Covid-19, while at the same time vowing expanded military exercises and deterrence capabilities.

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