North Korea fires multiple short-range ballistic missiles just ahead of US election

SEOUL — North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Tuesday, South Korea’s military said, in the latest sabre-rattling just hours ahead of the US presidential election.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launches at about 7:30 a.m. from the Sariwon area in the western province of North Hwanghae, and they flew about 400 kilometres before splashing into the sea, reports Yonhap news agency.

A JCS official told reporters that the latest launches apparently involved the North’s KN-25 super-large 600-millimeter multiple rocket launchers. The weapon system is believed to be capable of striking anywhere in South Korea when fired from Sariwon.

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The official declined to specify the number of missiles fired, noting a detailed analysis is underway.

The barrage of missiles came just hours before Americans headed to the polls for the presidential race between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and her Republican rival, Donald Trump.

South Korean officials have warned the North could stage weapons tests around the US presidential vote to assert its presence and attract outside attention by boasting of its nuclear capabilities.

The launches came five days after the North launched the new Hwasong-19 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) — theoretically capable of reaching the US mainland — into the East Sea on Thursday.

Calling the Hwasong-19 the “ultimate version” of its ICBM series, North Korea claimed it renewed the records of its strategic missile capability and that it secured an “irreversible hegemonic position” in developing delivery means of nuclear weapons.

Experts said with the ICBM launch, North Korea appeared to aim to flaunt its nuclear capabilities ahead of the US election and divert attention away from the North’s troop dispatch to Russia.

In response to last week’s launch, South Korea, the United States and Japan staged combined air drills involving a US B-1B bomber over waters east of the southern island of Jeju on Sunday, according to the JCS.

Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of the North’s leader, blasted the air exercise just before the latest launch, describing it as demonstrating the “most hostile and dangerous aggressive nature” of the enemy.

North Korea has bristled against the deployment of US strategic assets to and near the Korean Peninsula, accusing Washington of heightening tensions.

Considering the timing of the latest launches, the JCS official said they were assessed to be a show of force against the combined air drills.

The official said they also appeared to be threats against the South, considering the location of the launch and the North’s claim of the 600 mm multiple rocket launcher being nuclear-capable.

“It is not a location where it usually fires missiles,” the official said, noting they appeared to demonstrate the North’s capabilities to launch a surprise missile attack against the South.

Citing the recent security situation, the official said the North could stage more provocative acts, such as launching a hypersonic missile, a spy satellite, or submarine-launched ballistic or cruise missiles, as well as conducting a nuclear test.

South Korean officials have said the North remains ready to carry out what would be its seventh nuclear test at any time.

If North Korea does press ahead with a nuclear test, the JCS official said it will likely test its Hwasan-31 tactical nuclear warhead that it unveiled in March last year as it seeks to miniaturise warheads to mount on various missiles.

“A nuclear test remains prepared at all times,” the official said. “Activities for nuclear material production have been ongoing for the entire year, and there appear to be more (nuclear materials) than expected at the start of the year.”

The JCS vowed never to “sit idle” to North Korea’s provocative acts, warning that the North would bear full responsibility for any consequences.