27 August, 2017
South Korean security analyst Kim Dong-yub said Saturday that South Korea's assessments don't contradict USA military evaluations that identified the launches as short-range ballistic missiles.
It said the projectiles fired from the North's eastern coast flew about 250km. If the South Korean assessments are correct, the North might have conducted tests to expand the range of its 300-millimeter multiple rocket launchers, which are believed to have a radius of up to 200 kilometers (124 miles), Kim said. North Korea has demonstrated significant advancements in its missile technology this year testing and is on a pace to test more missiles this year than in any previous calendar year.
The South Korean and U.S. militaries are in the midst of the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian drills, which the North routinely describes as preparation for invasion, that involve computer simulations of a war to test readiness and run until August 31.
"The reality vividly shows that the US ambition for stifling [North Korea] remains unchanged no matter how much water may flow under the bridge and the puppet group's ambition for invading the north remains unchanged", the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported.
North Korea launched a barrage of missiles Saturday, less than one week after being praised by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for showing "restraint" in its weapons program.
It added that the missile posed no threat to the U.S. territory of Guam, which the North had previously warned it would fire missiles toward.
Last month North Korea fired its first intercontinental ballistic missiles, technically capable of reaching the mainland United States, and this month warned that it was considering launching missiles into the Pacific Ocean near the American territory of Guam. In a new report from state-run news agency KCNA criticizing joint U.S.
Japan's top government spokesman says there is no direct threat to Japan following North Korea's latest test-launch of three short-range missiles.
Barely a day later, photographs emerged showing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspecting missile and missile-fuel components.
On Wednesday, Kim ordered the production of more rocket engines and missile warheads during a visit to a chemical institute of the Academy of Defence Science, an agency that he fostered to develop its ballistic missile programme.
"The military is keeping a tight surveillance over the North to cope with further provocations", the ministry said.
