On Thursday, North Korea launched two ballistic missiles, claiming that its recent barrage of sanctions-defying tests were vital defences against joint military exercises by the US and South Korea.

North Korea accused the United States of "escalating the military tensions on the Korean peninsula" as the UN Security Council convened to discuss Pyongyang's firing of an intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan on Tuesday.

According to a statement released by Pyongyang's foreign ministry on Thursday, the recent launches—six in less than two weeks—were “the just counteraction measures of the Korean People’s Army."


Joint military exercises between Seoul, Tokyo, and Washington have increased recently, including extensive naval manoeuvres and anti-submarine drills.

According to Seoul's military, the security allies conducted a joint "missile defence exercise" on Thursday in the vicinity of the peninsula, featuring a US navy destroyer from the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier's strike group.

That was “expected to further solidify operational capabilities and posture to respond to North Korean missile provocations”, Seoul’s military said.

From Opera News

North Korea are calling for war