North Korea launches two alleged cruise missiles, says Seoul

South Koreans watch news about North Korean missile fire – AFP

North Korea appears to have fired two cruise missiles on Tuesday, the South Korean army announced, in what would be the fifth weapons test in a month.

“North Korea launched two alleged cruise missiles,” the commanders of the South Korean Armed Forces General Staff said in a statement, which did not provide further details.

US and South Korean intelligence agencies are currently analyzing the shooting.

Pyongyang has rejected Washington’s proposals for dialogue and has carried out a series of weapons tests in recent weeks to demonstrate its strength.

The series of launches follows a speech given in December by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in which he promised to modernize the country’s arsenal.

Washington imposed new sanctions in early January, a measure that Pyongyang considered a “provocation” and that it could respond to by resuming long-range nuclear and ballistic tests.

The current UN sanctions regime prohibits such tests, but not cruise missile launches.

The tests take place in a complex period in the region: China, the only ally of the North Korean regime, will host the Winter Olympics in February and South Korea will hold presidential elections in March.

North Korea, which has seen a worsening of economic problems after the total closure of its borders to prevent the spread of the covid-19 pandemic, began to resume trade with China in early January.