North Korea conducts third ballistic missile test off South Korean coast amid tensions

South Korea's military detected North Korea firing multiple cruise missiles into the sea off its western coast Tuesday in its third round of tests of such weapons this month.

 

The launches came amid heightened tensions in the region, where the pace of both North Korea's weapons demonstrations and the United States' combined military exercises with allies South Korea and Japan have intensified in a tit-for-tat.

 

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the South Korean and US militaries were analysing the launches. It didn't immediately provide specific flight details, including the number of missiles fired and how far they flew.

 

The launches follow tests on January 24 and January 28 of what North Korea has described as a new cruise missile developed for submarine launches.

 

The North also on January 14 tested a new solid-fuel intermediate-range missile, which underscored its efforts to advance its lineup of weapons targeting remote US targets in the Pacific, including the military hub of Guam.