North Korea: Four ballistic missiles fired into sea

Image copyrightAP

Image captionHistoric missiles from both the North and South are on display at a museum in Seoul

North Korea has launched four ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan, Japanese PM Shinzo Abe has said.

Three of them fell into Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) after flying some 1,000km (620 miles).

They were fired from the Tongchang-ri region, near the North's border with China, the South Korean military said.

It is unclear what type of missiles were fired, but the North is banned by the UN from any tests of missile or nuclear technology.

A South Korean military official said the launch took place at 07:36 local time Monday (22:36 GMT Sunday) and was being investigated to determine the type of projectile used.

On Friday, Pyongyang threatened to fire missiles in response to the Foal Eagle military exercises under way between South Korea and the US. The North sees the annual drills as preparation for an invasion against it.

Monday's launch was just the latest in a long series of tests of North Korean missile technology, which experts say is likely to be improving with successive tests.

However, most believe the North is still some time away from being able to miniaturise nuclear warheads so they could fit onto a missile.

North Korea has repeatedly said its space programme is peaceful but it is believed to be developing an intercontinental ballistic missile that could strike the US.

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Last month North Korea claimed it had successfully test-fired a new kind of ballistic missile in a launch supervised by leader Kim Jong-un.

It was the first test-firing since Donald Trump became the US president and was condemned by the UN, the US, South Korea and Japan.

Recent activity in the Tongchang-ri region, home to the Sohae Satellite Launching Station, has been a cause for concern for Japanese officials.

Screens have been set up in key areas at the site, probably to deter satellite surveillance, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

On Sunday, South Korea said it would quadruple the reward it pays defectors from the North who share information that will help enhance security to $860,000 (£700,000).

BBC News