North Korea test-fires suspected missiles

By Alex Jensen

SEOUL (AA) - North Korea test-fired as-yet unidentified projectiles Monday morning, according to the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

Seoul is investigating whether at least one of them might have been an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The North is barred from such technology under United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Nevertheless, this hasn’t prevented Pyongyang from testing an intermediate-range ballistic missile on February 12. The country has faced severe sanctions for a series of launches last year.

The latest projectiles were fired at 7:36 a.m. from the northwest of the country, the JCS said in a statement carried by local news agency Yonhap.

They flew approximately 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) across land into waters east of the peninsula, it said.

"It will take a while before we come up with a final analysis," the JCS added.

Yonhap also cited a defense ministry official claiming that at least one of the projectiles "could be an ICBM capable of reaching the U.S. mainland”.

This would mark the second missile challenge from North Korea since U.S. President Donald Trump was sworn in, although Pyongyang celebrated a series of launches last year in addition to two nuclear tests.

The North's leader Kim Jong-un announced at the start of this year that his reclusive state planned to test an ICBM.

Pyongyang has more recently been bristling over ongoing joint military drills involving South Korea and the U.S.