A man walks past a television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test, at a railway station in Seoul on January 17, 2022, after North Korea fired an unidentified projectile eastward in the country鈥檚 fourth suspected weapons test this month according to the South鈥檚 military. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)
SEOUL 鈥� North Korea said Tuesday it test-fired two tactical guided missiles a day earlier to verify the accuracy of that weapon system.
Monday鈥檚 firing 鈥� South Korea called them short range ballistic missiles 鈥� marked North Korea鈥檚 fourth weapons test this month as Pyongyang flexes its military muscle while ignoring offers of talks from the United States.
Despite biting international sanctions, Pyongyang has conducted a string of weapons tests this year, including of hypersonic missiles, as leader Kim Jong Un pursues his avowed goal of further strengthening the military.
Reeling economically from a self-imposed coronavirus blockade, impoverished North Korea has not responded to Washington鈥檚 offers of talks, while doubling down on weapons tests and vowing a 鈥渟tronger and certain鈥� response to any attempts to rein it in.
The launches come at a delicate time in the region, with North Korea鈥檚 sole major ally China set to host the Winter Olympics next month and South Korea gearing up for a presidential election in March.
The state news agency KCNA said Tuesday: 鈥淭he two tactical guided missiles launched in the western area of the DPRK precisely hit an island target in the East Sea of Korea.鈥� DPRK stands for the Democratic People鈥檚 Republic of Korea.
鈥淭he Academy of Defence Science confirmed the accuracy, security and efficiency of the operation of the weapon system under production,鈥� KCNA said.
This latest test was first reported by the South Korean military鈥檚 Joint Chiefs of Staff as well as Japan.
In response, the United States called on North Korea Monday to 鈥渃ease its unlawful and destabilizing activities.鈥�
In a call with South Korean and Japanese officials, the US special representative on North Korea, Sung Kim, 鈥渆xpressed concern鈥� about the missile launches and urged Pyongyang to return to dialogue 鈥渨ithout preconditions,鈥� the State Department said.