SEOUL: North Korea has fired a number of cruise missiles toward the sea to the west of the Korean Peninsula, Yonhap news agency reported on Saturday, quoting South Korea’s military officials.
Several cruise missiles were launched at about 4 a.m. Saturday local time, Yonhap said, quoting South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff. This would be the latest N Korean missile launch since the country fired two ballistic missiles on Wednesday, Reuters reported.
N Korea Fires ‘Several Missiles’ Amid Tensions
On Wednesday, N Korea fired two ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan, hours after a US nuclear submarine visited South Korean Busan city.
The new launch also comes as the US on Thursday expressed concern over Army Private Travis King, who dashed into North Korea a few days ago, adding Pyongyang had a track record of mistreating captured citizens of the United States.
In her first public remarks on the matter, US Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said the US was completely mobilized in trying to establish contact with North Korea, including via UN communications channels.
At the White House, the US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby also voiced concern and said “This is not a state that is known for humane treatment of the US nationals.”
The US officials remained confused regarding why King ran across the border into N Korea. But Wormuth admitted the US soldier was likely worried regarding confronting further disciplinary action from the military upon his return to the US, Reuters reported.
