North Korea fires two more missiles amid tensions in region

North Korea fired two additional missiles on Tuesday, the fifth such test by North Korea this year amid heightened tensions in the region.

South Korea’s military said the cruise missiles were fired into the sea from its east coast, according to Reuters. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff did not say what the range or trajectory of the missiles were, but said it was working on an analysis with American authorities. 

Already this year, North Korea has tested a tactical guided missile, two “hypersonic missiles” and a railway-borne missile system, according to Reuters.

Now, North Korea is warning that it may resume nuclear tests. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently headed a meeting for the Workers’ Party of Korea “to discuss and decide immediate work and important policy issues of the Party and the state.”

The meeting also focused on the U.S., which it accused of “recklessly faulting for no reason the DPRK’s legitimate exercise of sovereignty.”

Kim last week said North Korea was looking to strengthen its military, while also warning that he could nix a ban on testing atomic bombs and long-range missiles that he imposed, according to Reuters. 

While North Korea has not deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2017, once denuclearization talks slowed following an unsuccessful summit with the U.S. in 2019, the country started testing shorter-range missiles, the news wire reported. 

The United Nations Security Council does not allow North Korea to conduct launches with ballistic technology, but such actions with cruise missiles are permitted, Reuters noted.

South Korea is now urging the North to take part in talks rather than driving up tensions.

“While thoroughly preparing for additional tests, we’d like to emphasise again that dialogue and cooperation is the only way to peace,” Unification Minister Lee In-young told foreign diplomats at a meeting in Seoul, according to Reuters.

The U.S. has called on North Korea to stop “unlawful and destabilizing activities,” while pushing for the country to engage in dialogue. The North, however, has said it wants the U.S. to address its “hostile activity” before taking part in any such talks.