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North Korea fires multiple short-range ballistic missiles — Seoul

Leader Kim Jong-un's regime has staged dozens of launches this year, part of a testing spree that experts say could be linked to North Korea's alleged illicit supplying of weapons to ally Russia for use in Ukraine.

AFP

Pyongyang has denied any sanctions-busting weapons trade with Russia, but with diplomacy long stalled, it declared South Korea its "principal enemy" this year and recently moved nuclear-capable weapons to border areas. / Photo: AFP

North Korea fired a salvo of short-range ballistic missiles early on Wednesday, Seoul's military said, Pyongyang's second such weapons test in a week.

The launch follows North Korea's recent dispatch of its foreign minister to Moscow -- a key supporter of Kim's regime -- for her second visit in less than a year.

The North is also preparing for a parliamentary meeting in October that is expected to approve measures likely to escalate tensions with South Korea, including incorporating the hostile relationship between the two Koreas into its constitution.

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it had "detected and (was) analysing several short-range ballistic missiles launched to the northeast around 06:50 (2150 GMT)".

"In preparation for additional launches, our military has strengthened monitoring and vigilance, while closely sharing information," with allies Tokyo and Washington, it added.

Tokyo also confirmed the launch, with the country's coastguard saying one missile had splashed down already.

"Vessels please pay attention to information coming ahead and if you spot fallen objects please don't approach closer but report it to the coastguard," it said in a statement.

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Japan's Defence Minister Minoru Kihara later said the missiles "appear to have landed on around the eastern coast of North Korea's inland area," and therefore "are outside Japan's EEZ", adding no damage was reported.

Seoul's military said the missiles were fired from the North's Kaechon area in South Phyongan Province, and flew about 400 kilometres (250 miles).

"North Korea's missile launch is a clear act of provocation that seriously threatens peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and we strongly condemn it," Seoul's JCS said in a statement.

Last Thursday, the North fired what Seoul described as multiple short-range ballistic missiles into waters east of the Korean peninsula, the nuclear-armed country's first major weapons test since early July.

North Korean state media later claimed that this had been a test of a "new-type 600mm multiple rocket launcher" which was overseen by Kim.