North Korea fires volley of short-range ballistic missiles | Gun News

South Korea and the United States condemn the launch and urge Pyongyang to “refrain from any further illegal and destabilizing acts.”

North Korea has launched several short-range ballistic missiles, the South Korean military said, as it continues to develop its military weaponry in violation of international sanctions.

The ten missiles were launched from the Sunan area around 6:14 a.m. Thursday (9:14 p.m. GMT Wednesday) toward the east, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

The statement said the missiles traveled about 350 kilometers (217 miles) before falling into the sea.

The military said the launch was a “clear provocation” by Pyongyang and “seriously threatened the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula.”

The missile launch comes three days after North Korea's attempt to orbit a second spy satellite ended in failure when the rocket carrying the equipment exploded in mid-flight.

Leader Kim Jong Un has made the development of more sophisticated weapons and military equipment a cornerstone of his efforts to modernize North Korea's armed forces. He deepened his relationship with Russia and was accused of providing Moscow with weapons to use against Ukraine in exchange for Russian technological expertise.

The United States, a close ally of South Korea, condemned the launch and the Indo-Pacific Command urged North Korea to “refrain from further illegal and destabilizing acts.”

Pyongyang is banned from testing ballistic missiles under United Nations sanctions imposed over its nuclear program.

An official at South Korea's permanent mission to the United Nations told Yonhap News Agency that the Security Council was scheduled to hold a public meeting Friday in New York to discuss the satellite launch failure. Such launches also violate UN sanctions because they involve technology similar to ballistic missiles.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was among those who condemned Monday's launch, urging Pyongyang to resume dialogue.