North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile toward waters off its east coast, hours after the outspoken sister of leader Kim Jong-un blasted as “fiction” accusations that her nation was exporting weapons to Russia.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the launch on Friday. Further details were not immediately available.
“The hostile forces are misleading the public opinion with a false rumour that the weapon systems produced by the DPRK are ‘for export to Russia,’” state media cited Kim Yo-jong as saying. She was referring to North Korea by its formal name.
“We have no intention to export our military technical capabilities to any country or open them to the public,” she said. Kim Yo-jong has been a prominent figure in North Korea for leading pressure campaigns against the US and South Korea.
This is the fifth test of ballistic missiles from Kim Jong-un’s regime this year. On April 22, the North Korean leader oversaw a simultaneous launch of four short-range ballistic missiles.
The US, South Korea and others have accused North Korea of sending to Russia massive amounts of artillery shells along with its newest family of short-range nuclear-capable ballistic missiles that are easy to hide and quick to deploy. Pyongyang and Moscow have denied the charges.
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Satellite imagery suggests North Korea is supplying Russia with weapons through Rason port
Satellite imagery suggests North Korea is supplying Russia with weapons through Rason port
Russia is providing North Korea with food, raw materials and parts used in weapons manufacturing, South Korean Defence Minister Shin Wonsik has said. The food aid has helped Kim’s regime stabilise prices for necessities. If the transfers grow, Russia is likely to send more military technology to Kim, increasing Pyongyang’s threat to the region, Shin added.
Friday’s missile launches come at the same time as a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Chinese northeastern city of Harbin.
Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping criticised Washington and its allies for what the leaders called “intimidation in the military sphere” against North Korea at a meeting in Beijing on Thursday.
South Korea’s air force has said US and South Korean stealth fighters conducted “intense” joint exercises on Thursday in the central region to test and enhance offensive and defensive manoeuvrability
Additional reporting by Reuters