North Korea Launches 17 Missiles, Fires 100 Rounds of Artillery Shots, Seoul Says

SEOUL (Sputnik) - North Korea launched 17 missiles towards the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea and fired 100rounds of artillery shots on Wednesday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

Short-range ballistic missiles are just one of a number of types of projectiles launched by Pyongyang on Wednesday. One of them landed near South Korea's territorial waters for the first time since the two Koreas' division.

Moments after Seoul issued a statement, the Japanese maritime security service said that the DPRK has conducted another launch of what is believed to be a ballistic missile.

"According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, North Korea may have launched a ballistic missile. There is a request to aircraft and sea vessels to follow the information and in case of falling fragments, without approaching them, report to the maritime security service."

Earlier in the day, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters that North Korea had fired at least 10 missiles toward the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea. South Korea has closed some of its air routes in the Sea of ​Japan over Pyongyang's missile launches, while the Japanese transport ministry recommended that local airlines choose alternative routes to ensure the safety of passengers who travel to the United States and Japan.

In response to the DPRK's launches, South Korea's Air Force fired three air-to-surface missiles into international waters north of the Northern Limit Line (NLL).

"This accurate firing by our military demonstrates the readiness of South Korea to respond decisively to any provocation, including launches of short-range ballistic missiles, as well as the ability and readiness to deliver a precision strike against the enemy," the statement said.

Meanwhile, the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) has issued a statement, saying that the launch of missiles by North Korea did not pose an immediate threat to US territory and personnel, as well as to Washington's allies.

"We are aware of the DPRK ballistic missile launches and are consulting closely with our allies and partners. While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies, the missile launches highlights the DPRK’s reckless behavior and the destabilizing impact of its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs," the command said in a statement.

The escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula comes as the US and South Korea are connducting joint military exercises, called "Vigilant Storm." The DPRK has warned the US that it would a "powerful response" if Washington "continuously persists in the grave military provocations." Pyongyang also accused the US of being "the chief culprit in destroying peace and security," stressing that the country was ready to take all necessary measures to defend against military threats.

The drills were launched amid Seoul's claims that North Korea could detonate its first nuclear test device since September 2017.