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North Korea Fires Two Missiles Amid Week Of Nuclear Threats

By Patricia Ramirez
Published on: 06:08 PST, Mar 10, 2016

North Korea fired two missiles early Thursday, according to a CNN report. The missiles are described as short-range ballistic missiles, per sources inside South Korea. The missile launch by North Korea comes just days after the secretive dictatorship publicly claimed to have possession of miniaturized nuclear warheads designed to fit on ballistic missiles.

On Sunday, North Korea has stoked tensions with South Korea and the rest of the world by saying that it would make a “pre-emptive and offensive nuclear strike” in response to joint South Korean-U.S. military drills in the area of the Korean peninsula. Currently, around 300,000 troops from South Korea and 17,000 U.S. military members are participating in what has been called the “largest ever” joint military drill between the allies.

https://twitter.com/SputnikInt/status/707979371638706176

Just prior to the military drills, North Korea added to the tension in the region and around the globe by conducting a fourth nuclear test. North Korea’s leadership claimed that the most recent nuclear test utilized a hydrogen bomb, but that claim has been disputed by the United States and other nations.

The missiles fired by North Korea on Thursday reportedly came from the North Hwanghae province, which is south of the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. The short-range missiles were fired in the direction of the sea east of Korea. According to South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, the South is monitoring the situation very closely and claims to have tracked the missiles that were fired from North Korea as well.

In addition to firing two missiles on Thursday, the Korea Central News Agency released a statement that read, in part, “all agreements on economic cooperation and business exchanges adopted by North and South are invalid.” This statement is most likely a response to the closure of the Kaesong industrial complex by Seoul last month. The industrial complex has been one of the few cooperative efforts between North and South Korea.

Pyongyang has, through its news agency, described the closure of Kaesong as being “unilateral.” However, the Korea Central News Agency also stated that North Korea “will completely liquidate all South Korean companies and relevant assets within its borders.”

In response to the North’s suspension of economic ties between the Koreas on Thursday, Seoul said that it would “never accept” what it refers to as a “provocative action.” In a statement released by the Unification Ministry, South Korea also said that Pyongyang would be “held responsible” for damage to South Korean assets within North Korean borders.

South Korea is “closely monitoring” North Korea for signs of provocation following Thursday’s missile launch.

“As of now, there are no direct signs of provocation, but we are planning to continuously strengthen surveillance.”

Just last week, the Korean Central News Agency told the world that North Korea’s leader stated that his nation’s nuclear warhead will be prepared for “use at any time.” This isn’t the first time North Korea has responded with threats of war during the annual U.S./South Korea military exercises, but according to former CNN international correspondent Mike Chinoy, “this year the level of anger is much greater.”

There are concerns that even a “modest” military step by North Korea at this time will compel South Korea to respond.

Tensions between North Korea and the rest of the world have steadily escalated over the past year, during which time several nuclear tests have been conducted by the reclusive nation. Things seem to be coming to a head in recent weeks, culminating Wednesday with a North Korean state media report that dictator Kim Jong-un met with technicians and scientists to be briefed on research that had been conducted in order to tip various missiles with nuclear warheads.

In addition to the verbal claims made by North Korea’s state-run media outlet, photographs were also released that purportedly showed Kim visiting a location where missile-sized warheads have been made. These photographs, if legitimate, are the first released by the North Korea state-run media that actually show the mini weapons tech.

According to Chinoy, it is not clear whether North Korea has actually already miniaturized weapons, but there is no question that the nation is “moving in that direction.”

The world is watching North Korea closely during the remainder of the South Korean/U.S. military drills, hoping for no more launches or provocations and an ultimate de-escalation of tensions in the region.

[Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images]

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