Hot: North Korea launches ballistic missile with a range of 250 km

A new tactical guided missile was test-fired by North Korea near the eastern coastal town of Wonsan, announced on July 26. Photo: Yonhap/TTXVN

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) announced that the flying objects that North Korea launched into the area off the country's east coast on the morning of July 31 were short-range ballistic missiles.

The missiles were launched from the Hodo Peninsula in South Hamgyong Province on the east coast of North Korea and flew about 250 km before falling into the sea, according to the JCS.

JCS experts also said that the type of missile launched on July 31 was different from the missiles that Pyongyang had previously tested.

JCS is closely monitoring the situation in case of additional launches and maintaining a combat readiness posture.

Meanwhile, Japan's Kyodo news agency quoted a statement from the country's Ministry of Defense, stating that the above-mentioned North Korean flying objects did not enter Japan's exclusive economic zone or territorial waters, and that the launch did not directly affect Japan's security, but Pyongyang would violate the United Nations Security Council resolution if it launched a ballistic missile.

Responding to the above move, the US State Department spokesman announced on July 30 that the US was aware of North Korea's missile launch and would continue to monitor the situation.