North Korea fires more missiles; second launch in three days

North Korea has carried out a record number of weapons tests this year, increasing tension across the divided peninsula [File: Anthony Wallace/AFP]

North Korea has fired two short-range ballistic missiles eastwards — its second weapons launch in three days — after the United States redeployed an aircraft carrier to the region and carried out joint military drills with South Korea.

Thursday’s launches were reported by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and the Japanese government. They followed Tuesday’s test of a suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) over Japan — the first since 2017.