Kim Jong-un’s not there, but North Korea is still firing off missiles
- How Kim, currently in Russia to meet Putin, maintains command and control over his country’s missile and nuclear forces while abroad is unclear
- A launch without the North Korean supreme leader in-country is unprecedented and marks a ‘fascinating’ development, one analyst says
It was the first such launch to occur while Kim was abroad for a rare trip, analysts said.
South Korea detected “two short-range ballistic missiles fired by North Korea from the Sunan area towards the East Sea at around 11.43am to 11.53am”, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan.
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North Korea fires missiles as talks get under way in Russia between Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said: “Our military has strengthened surveillance and vigilance in preparation for further launches, while maintaining full readiness by closely cooperating with the US.”
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters that Tokyo had lodged a protest against North Korea through diplomatic channels in Beijing.
Both missiles fell in the sea outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, he added.