North Korea launched missiles from Wonsan, Kangwon Province, to the East Sea on Sunday afternoon, repeating missile provocations in less than two weeks since its last launch.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea's military confirmed that a short-range ballistic missile was launched from Wonsan and flew 450 kilometers toward the East Sea at around 3 p.m. A joint analysis between Seoul and Washington was underway as of Sunday afternoon.
Another projectile was later fired from North Korea toward the East Sea, according to the authorities as of 6 p.m.
The South Korean military heightened the security alert.
According to authorities, Seoul is maintaining a high readiness posture and is working in close coordination with the United States and Japan, sharing information related to the North's ballistic missile launch.
South Korea's presidential office on Sunday convened an emergency meeting over North Korea's missile provocations.
Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement that its National Security Office summoned officials from the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff to affirm South Korea's readiness posture, assess the impact the missile provocation would have on South Korea's national security and inspect necessary measures.
The government urged North Korea to stop missile provocations, stressing that North Korea's ballistic missile launch is in serious violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.
North Korea has fired missiles on 14 occasions this year alone.
Sunday's missile provocation resembles the previous one on Sept. 12, where short-range ballistic missiles were launched from Wonsan to the East Sea and flew some 250 kilometers.
The major conservative People Power Party called on the liberal administration to ditch its "submissive" stance toward North Korea.
"It was proven once again that the Lee Jae Myung administration’s ... submissive stance toward North Korea disguised as rapprochement cannot deter the North's ambitions for provocation," said Rep. Choi Bo-yun of the People Power Party.
"The administration’s complacent attitude of fixating on unrealistic optimism weakens deterrence against North Korea and is rather fueling the North's provocations. The government must face the reality of South Korea's national security."
Responding to the missile launch, Rep. Cho Gye-won of the Democratic Party said in a statement that the government "should pursue a dual track approach of military readiness and diplomatic management," for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
He added that North Korea's provocation "would only deepen inter-Korean strain and toughen sanctions against itself."
consnow@heraldcorp.com
