N. Korea Fires 2 Projectiles into Sea of Japan

Seoul, July 25 (Jiji Press)--North Korea fired two projectiles from around Wonsan on its eastern coast into the Sea of Japan early Thursday morning, the South Korean military said. The projectiles were a new type of short-range ballistic missile, according to analysis the South Korean government made at a standing committee meeting of the National Security Council. International criticism against Pyongyang is likely to grow, as a ballistic missile launch violates U.N. Security Council resolutions. A final judgment will be made after a precise assessment of the projectiles by the South Korean and U.S. governments, the committee said. Pyongyang's move does not contribute to efforts to ease military tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the committee also said. The projectiles were launched at around 5:34 a.m. (8:34 p.m. Wednesday GMT) and 5:57 a.m., traveling about 430 kilometers and 690 kilometers, respectively, according to the South Korean military's Joint Chiefs of Staff. They are believed to have fallen into the Sea of Japan after flying as high as 50-60 kilometers. Pyongyang apparently used a transporter erector launcher, or TEL, to fire them. According to U.S. television network CNN, a U.S. defense official said the projectiles resemble two missiles Pyongyang launched in May. Through Thursday's firing, Pyongyang apparently aims to underline its opposition to a U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise set for August. North Korea also seems to have tested security cooperation among Japan, the United States and South Korea amid deteriorating Tokyo-Seoul ties partly over Japan's tighter controls of exports to South Korea. Pyongyang fired projectiles for the first time since launching two suspected short-range missiles from around the northwestern city of Kusong on May 9. On May 4, North Korea shot several projectiles from around Wonsan into the Sea of Japan. Japanese and U.S. authorities concluded that some of the projectiles were short-range ballistic missiles. END