Korean arms race heats up as North fires ballistic missiles, South in submarine breakthrough

North Korea follows up test of long-range cruise missile with launch of two ballistic missiles; South announces spate of breakthroughs including a world-first launch from an air-independent propulsion submarine

Developments come amid a flurry of diplomatic activity aimed at denuclearising the North, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Seoul and representatives from the US, Japan and South Korea meeting in Tokyo

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A South Korean high-yield ballistic missile test. Photo: Handout

Published: 6:08pm, 15 Sep 2021Updated: 5:25am, 16 Sep 2021

The arms race on the Korean peninsula is heating up, with North Korea firing a pair of ballistic missiles off its east coast on Wednesday, as the South announced a spate of breakthroughs in its development of new weapons including submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

Just days after testing a cruise missile with possible nuclear capabilities, the North test-launched two ballistic missiles from its central inland region towards the east coast, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). It said the missiles flew 800km and reached a maximum height of 60km.

The South Korean military had raised its level of surveillance in response and was maintaining a posture of “full readiness” in close cooperation with the United States, the JCS added.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga called the missile launch “outrageous”, and strongly criticised the action as a threat to the peace and security of the region.

Japan’s coastguard said the missiles landed outside its exclusive economic zone.

Both Suga and South Korean President Moon Jae-in are to convene sessions of their national security councils to discuss the launches, according to their offices.