North Korea fires projectiles into Sea of Japan again

August 16, 2019

Seoul--North Korea launched projectiles into the Sea of Japan twice Friday morning, its sixth such firing in recent weeks, South Korea's military said.

The projectiles were fired from Tongchon in Kangwon Province, eastern North Korea, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Japanese government said in a statement that no ballistic missiles have flown into Japan's territory and its exclusive economic zone and that it has confirmed no immediate threat to the country's security from the firing.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters in Tokyo that his government will take all possible measures to ensure the safety of Japanese people, while working with the United States and other countries.

The series of launches since July 25 were aimed at showing North Korea's frustration over the ongoing joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea, sources familiar with the situation said.

North Korea fired projectiles, including its newly developed short-range ballistic missiles, on July 25, July 31, Aug. 2, Aug. 6 and Saturday.

In a letter sent to U.S. President Donald Trump, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un offered a "small apology" over the launches and showed his intention to suspend them after the end of the U.S.-South Korea military exercises. Jiji Press