North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday in a display of defiance against the United States a day after the latter docked a nuclear submarine in South Korea for the first time in four decades.
The USS Kentucky had docked in South Korea's Busan port on Tuesday, in a show of force against Pyongyang in response to the latter's increasing nuclear activities. The tensions between Pyongyang and Washington have escalated recently amid a rise in US-South Korea military drills.
The missile launch by Pyongyang was reported by South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff at 3:30 to 3:46 am that landed in waters east of the Korean Peninsula. The Japanese military said that the missiles landed outside the country's exclusive economic zone, with no immediate signs of damage, AP reported.
The missiles travelled on a low trajectory and possibly demonstrated 'irregular maneuver' during flight, according to Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada.
US nuclear submarine docks in South Korea
The USS Kentucky that arrived in Busan on Tuesday is the first US nuclear submarine to have docked in South Korea since 1981. According to South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-Sup, the visit shows the overwhelming capability and posture of Washington and Seoul against North Korea.
During the Cold War, the US had hundreds of warheads stationed in South Korea and nuclear-armed submarine visits were common in those times. All nuclear weapons were withdrawn from the Korean Peninsula after the end of the Cold War in 1991.
Meanwhile, South Korean and US officials on Tuesday also held a meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group in Seoul for discussions on strengthening deterrence against North Korea’s nuclear threats.
“Any nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies is unacceptable and will result in the end of that regime," said the allies in a joint statement.
Tensions between the allies and North Korea have risen over a spade of joint military drills, resulting in Pyongyang boosting its nuclear capabilities. Last week, North Korea launched an inter-continental ballistic missile toward its eastern waters after reports of US military plane flying close to its territory with the intension of spying.
US soldier crosses over to North Korea
Meanwhile, a US citizen on Tuesday crossed the heavily fortified border from South Korea and reached North Korean territory. The man was identified as Private Second Class Travis King who was just released from a South Korean prison after being held on assault charges.
King joined a tour of the Korean border village of Panmunjom, instead of taking a flight to Texas, and ran across the border, according to US officials. He is currently under detention. The United Nations Command is trying to secure his release in coordination with its North Korean counterparts.
(with AP inputs)
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