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North Korea fires two ballistic missiles from Pyongyang airport in fourth test this month

  • Seoul’s military said the test appeared to involved two short-range ballistic missiles fired east from Sunan Airfield
  • The latest firings have drawn both condemnation and an appeal for dialogue from the US which has imposed fresh sanctions

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North Korea launched a missile from a railway-based platform in North Pyongan province on January 14. Photo: YNA via KCNA/dpa
North Korea fired two suspected short-range ballistic missiles from an airport in its capital city of Pyongyang on Monday, South Korea’s military reported, in the fourth test this month.
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Japan also reported the launch, with chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno condemning them as a threat to the region’s peace and security.

In less than two weeks, nuclear-armed North Korea has conducted three other missile tests, an unusual frequency of launches. Two of those involved single “hypersonic missiles” capable of high speeds and manoeuvring after launch, while the last, on Friday, involved a pair of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) fired from train cars.

Monday’s launch appeared to involved two SRBMs fired east from Sunan Airfield in Pyongyang, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement.

North Korea had used the airport to test fire the Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) in 2017, with leader Kim Jong-un in attendance.
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