DPRK launches ballistic missiles for the first time in five months - on the eve of Trump's visit to South Korea
North Korea for the first time in the last five months carried out launching ballistic missiles, which flew close to 350 kilometres in the direction of Sea of Japan.
The incident occurred on the eve of Donald Trump's visit to South Korea to attend the APEC summit.
Details of the launch
According to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, the missiles were launched from an area west of Pyongyang.
They are reached a height of about 100 km, and then fell into the sea outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.
The Tokyo government convened an emergency meeting of the crisis headquarters, and the South Korean Ministry of Defence said that the launch was a deliberate provocation on the eve of the US leader's visit.
Political context
Visit Donald Trump to South Korea is scheduled in a few days - it will take place within the APEC summit, aimed at strengthening economic and security relations in the region.
Analysts point out that Pyongyang is trying to demonstrate its military capability і influence the negotiations between the US, Seoul and Tokyo on security in the Indo-Pacific region.
«The DPRK traditionally uses such launches as a tool of pressure before important international events,» the East Asia Watch think tank reports.
The world's reaction
Japan and South Korea have condemned Pyongyang's actions, emphasising that it is violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
The United States has called on North Korea refrain from further provocations and declared their readiness to «strengthen deterrence» in the region.
«We remain steadfast in defending our allies and securing peace on the Korean Peninsula,» the White House said in a statement.
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