Seoul: North Korea fires ‘unidentified projectiles’ into sea

A pedestrian looks at a roadside television screen reporting on North Korea’s projectile launch earlier in the day, in Tokyo on August 16, 2019. – North Korea fired two “unidentified projectiles” into the sea on August 16, the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said — the latest in a series of such launches by Pyongyang. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP)

SEOUL — North Korea Saturday fired two “unidentified projectiles” into the sea off its eastern coast, South Korea’s military said, the latest in a series of launches by Pyongyang.

“Our military is tracking the movement in the North in case of additional launches,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a statement.

South Korea’s presidential Blue House said it will hold a National Security Council meeting following the North’s latest weapons test.

The launch comes after Pyongyang made a scathing attack Friday on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, calling him a “diehard toxin” following the US diplomat’s comment that the US would continue the “toughest” sanctions on the North until the reclusive state denuclearizes.

The nuclear-armed state has carried out several short-range missile tests in recent weeks in protest against the US-South Korean military exercises, which it sees as a rehearsal for invasion.

The latest joint drill wrapped up on Tuesday.

Nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington have been gridlocked since a second summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump in Hanoi in February collapsed without an agreement over the extent of denuclearization in the North and sanctions relief.

Earlier this week, Stephen Biegun, the US special envoy for North Korea, said during a visit to Seoul that the US was “prepared to engage” as soon as it hears from Pyongyang.  /muf