North Korea fired four ballistic missiles in the early hours of Monday morning into the sea off Japan’s northwest, South Korean and Japanese officials said.
Military authorities in South Korea, Japan, and the United States all confirmed the launch of four intermediate range missiles, which traveled almost 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) towards the Sea of Japan and reached a height of 260 km (160 miles), CNN reported.
Three projectiles landed inside Japan’s exclusive zone which extends 200 nautical miles from its coastline, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in the Parliament.
He said the launch was a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
Expert said the move was in response to the joint military exercise between South Korea and United States.
South Korea’s acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn condemned North Korea’s action as a direct challenge to the international community and said Seoul would swiftly deploy a U.S. anti-missile defense system despite angry objections from China, Reuters reported.
North Korea had test fired a ballistic missile from North Pyongan province into the sea in February.
