National Defense Ministry Spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo on Jan. 4 speaks at a news briefing in Seoul. On May 7, she told media that North Korea's firing of short-range missiles three days earlier violated the spirit of an inter-Korean military agreement reached on Sept. 19 last year. (Yonhap News)
By Song Baleun and Lee Hana
The Ministry of National Defense has made an announcement on North Korea's firing of short-range missiles on May 4, saying, "Pyeongyang's actions violate the spirit of the inter-Korean military agreement."
"While the comprehensive military agreement signed on Sept. 19 last year doesn't stipulate a ban on missile launches, the firing of projectiles goes against the spirit of the agreement, which is needed to ease tension on the Korean Peninsula," ministry spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo told a news briefing on May 7. "We urge North Korea to halt acts that escalate military tension on the peninsula."
Kim Joon-rak, spokesman of Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), said the South Korean military detected "multiple short-range projectiles being fired into the east coast between 9:06 a.m. and 10:55 a.m.,” adding, “The object reportedly flew for 70-240 km at an altitude of between 20 and 60 km.”
Kim said more analysis was needed to confirm whether North Korea had launched a short-range ballistic missile. "South Korean and U.S. intelligence have been proceeding with a detailed analysis to verify the facts," he said.
On May 4, the JCS announced that the North had launched a short-range projectile towards the East Sea from near Wonsan on the North Korean side of Gangwon-do Province.
brightsong@korea.kr
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