US, South Korea fire eight missiles into sea in response to North’s launches

South Korea and the United States fired eight missiles into the east sea of the Korean Peninsula in a tit-for-tat move after North Korea launched a series of short-range ballistic missiles, a report said.

The ground-to-ground Army Tactical Missile System missiles were fired off South Korea’s east coast early on Monday in response to launches by North Korea Sunday, Yonhap reported citing South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The missile launches were a demonstration of “the capability and readiness to carry out precision strike” against the source of North Korea’s missile firings or the command and support centers, the South Korean military said.

The move came a day after the North fired eight short-range ballistic missiles towards the sea off its east coast from Sunan area of Pyongyang, extending a streak in weapons demonstrations.

Japan also reported that North Korea had launched a suspected ballistic missile.

The launch was North Korea’s 18th round of missile tests this year and came a day after the United States and South Korea wrapped up a rare joint military exercise off the Japanese island of Okinawa, which featured a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

North Korea, which has been under crippling sanctions since 2006 over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, regards the joint military drills as rehearsals for a possible invasion.

The flurry of launches by the North this year has included the test firing of hypersonic weapons and its first demonstration of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in nearly five years.

Last month, the North test-fired what is believed to be its largest intercontinental ballistic missile, after US President Joe Biden ended a tour of Asia, where he pledged to take new measures to deter Pyongyang.

South Korean and US officials say there are signs that North Korea is also preparing to carry out its first nuclear test since 2017.

Following Sunday’s tests by the North, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol called a National Security Council meeting and ordered “expanded deterrence of South Korea and the United States and continued reinforcement of united defense posture.”

The NSC meeting concluded that the missile launch was North Korea’s “test and challenge” of the security readiness of South Korea’s new administration, which has promised to take a tougher line against Pyongyang.