“North Korea fired an unspecified projectile towards the East Sea,” the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said, referring to the Sea of Japan.
The last time North Korea conducted this number of weapons tests in one month was in 2019, after the collapse of the summit between leader Kim Jong Un and former US President Donald Trump.
Since then, North Korea’s negotiations with the United States have stalled, and its economy has declined under the weight of sanctions and the closure it is imposing on itself due to the Corona virus.
On Tuesday, Pyongyang launched two suspected cruise missiles, preceded by at least four additional weapons tests this month, including hypersonic missile launches on Jan. 5 and 11.
Last week, Pyongyang hinted that it might resume testing of nuclear and long-range weapons that were suspended in 2017.
The escalation comes at a sensitive time in the region as China, Kim Jong Un’s only major ally, is set to host the Winter Olympics next month, while South Korea prepares for a presidential election in March.