North Korea defies sanctions by test-firing two ballistic missiles
Launch of two Scud-class projectiles into sea comes ahead of visit to South by Xi Jinping
North Korea yesterday fired two ballistic missiles into the sea in breach of UN sanctions, the latest in a series of launches staged in an apparent show of force ahead of a visit to the South by Chinese President Xi Jinping .
The missiles, which appeared to be Scud class, were launched from the east coast and flew about 500km before crashing harmlessly into the water, a South Korean military official said.
It is unlikely there will be new initiatives from Beijing on [North Korea]
The test firings came three days after the North launched three short-range projectiles into the waters off its east coast.
Such launches are routine. North Korea frequently test-fires short-range, multi-rocket launchers, which are not prohibited under UN sanctions on the isolated country. North Korea's possession and testing of ballistic missiles such as Soviet-era Scuds, however, breach the sanctions.
North Korea has so far conducted test firing of its ballistic missiles and rockets 11 times this year, including four involving missiles.
It usually test-fires its rockets and missiles amid annual US-South Korean military exercises as a form of protest.
Pyongyang routinely denounces the joint military exercises as preparation for war.
