North Korea confirms firing of 2 ground-to-ground missiles

ANKARA (AA) - North Korea has confirmed the launch of two ground-to-ground missiles by a sub-military unit during exercises amid tensions on the Korean peninsula, state-run media said on Wednesday.

Two ground-to-ground missiles in a medium-range system fired on Tuesday in an area around Jangyon County in South Hwanghae Province precisely hit the target, Phi Islet, in the waters off Pangjin-dong, Chongam District in North Hamgyong Province, the Korean Central News Agency reported.

The missile was fired during the missile unit drills of the 11th assault company.

According to a North Korean military statement quoted by the agency, "They will surely annihilate the enemy if they fight it, the commander of the unit resolved to thoroughly have the ability to fully carry out its duty of fire assault any time by further intensifying the training of every fire assault company, true to the Party's policy on effecting a revolution in the training."

The latest missile launch came a day after the US and South Korea began their major Freedom Shield exercises, which started on Monday and will last for at least 10 days.

Earlier, the South Korean military said on Tuesday that North Korea has fired an unspecified ballistic missile toward the East Sea, known as the Sea of Japan.

Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also witnessed a series of missile tests simulating the destruction of an enemy airport, as he urged the military to gradually intensify drills to simulate "real war."

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid