North Korea Fires Suspected Artillery Pieces Into Sea

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The North Korean test, suspected of being a piece of artillery into the sea on Sunday, the South Korean military said, a few days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un calling for a greater defense ability to overcome external threats.

The Chief of Staff of the South Korean joint staff said in a statement that they detected several flight tracks that were believed to be North Korean artillery on Sunday morning. It is said that South Korea maintains a strong military readiness in close coordination with the United States amid an increase in supervision in North Korea.

During the meeting of the National Security Council held to discuss the launch that was suspected, South Korean officials expressed their concern that North Korea increased the weapons system that caused direct threats to South Korea and reiterated they would firmly deal with North Korea’s efforts, according to the South Korean President South’s office.

The northern artillery test attracts less attention outside than the launch of the missile. But long distance artillery weapons deployed in the future are serious security threats to the metropolitan region of the South Korean population, which is only 40-50 kilometers (25-30 miles) from the border with North Korea.

The alleged launch of the artillery was the latest in a series of weapons tests by North Korea this year in what foreign experts mentioned efforts to suppress their rivals Washington and Seoul to loosen international sanctions against Pyongyang and make other concessions.

The new South Korean and US officials said North Korea almost completed its preparations for its first nuclear test in about five years. In March, the North Korean test launched an intercontinental ballistic missile that was able to reach the US mainland in the 2018 moratorium violation in the large missile test.

In his speech at a party meeting that was in power last week, Kim underlined the need to strengthen his country’s military capabilities, said the current security environment “was very serious.”

Kim’s speech brought by government media did not mention the United States or South Korea. But he still determined “militant duties” to be pursued by the armed forces and scientists, a suggestion that he would continue to advance with a plans to build up his famous weapons.

The new nuclear test that may be by North Korea will be the seventh of its type. Some experts say North Korea is likely to use tests to build warheads to be installed on tactical nuclear weapons aimed at achieving targets in South Korea.