Seoul: South Korea and the United States have responded to North Korea’s launch of eight missiles on Sunday by firing eight more missiles from their side into the waters off the east coast of the Korean peninsula on Monday, CNN reported.
Seven of the missiles were fired by South Korea and one by the US, according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, which said they demonstrated that “even if North Korea provokes with missiles from multiple locations, we have the ability and readiness to immediately strike with precision.”
North Korea fired eight short-range ballistic missiles from multiple sites in the country into the waters east of the Korean peninsula on Sunday, which was described as a “serious provocation that harms peace and stability of not only the Korean peninsula but also the international community” the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The latest incident comes as North Korea has intensified its provocative actions in the region, amid heightened concerns that Pyongyang is preparing for a nuclear test.
Sunday’s missile tests are in line with the tough stance against North Korea of the newly elected South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, which is a departure from his predecessor Moon Jaw-in who had pushed for dialogue and peaceful reconciliation.
President Yeol vowed to respond “firmly and sternly” to any North Korean provocations during a speech marking South Korea’s Memorial Day on Monday.
North Korea’s launch on Sunday is its third missile test since the start of Yoon’s term and the 17th this year.
