North Korea launches sixth missile in two weeks

 North Korea launches sixth missile in two weeks

North Korea fired two more ballistic missiles on Thursday - the sixth such restricted launch in less than two weeks.

Pyongyang on Wednesday described its recent attack as "just retaliation" for joint military exercises by the US and South Korea.

On Tuesday, Pyongyang fired a missile at Japan, prompting the United States to call an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

In the meeting, the US accused Russia and China of shielding North Korea from tough sanctions.

The US ambassador to the United Nations said Moscow and Beijing had given Pyongyang "blanket protection" by opposing further sanctions. Chinese and Russian representatives said increased dialogue is better than punishment.

For the past two months the US, South Korea and Japan have been conducting a series of joint exercises as they practice how to defeat and deter a North Korean attack. These exercises have angered North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who sees them as evidence that his enemies are preparing for war.

In its statement, the North accused the US of "increasing military tensions on the Korean peninsula".

On Wednesday, the US, Japan and South Korea conducted further exercises, which they said were a response to Tuesday's launch. The US said that there is no parallel between the banned missile test and the security exercise.

The US redeployed its aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan near the Korean peninsula.

As the Security Council concluded a meeting on North Korea's dangerous ballistic missile launch, we learned that Pyongyang had launched two more missiles.

Make no mistake: The two council members who are preventing us from taking action are enabling North Korea.

— Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (@USAmbUN)  October 6, 2022

South Korea and Japan said Thursday's first missile, launched at around 06:00 (21:00 GMT) local time, flew about 100 km with a maximum altitude of about 350 km (217 mi), while the second The missile had a flight range of about 800 km at an altitude of about 50 km.

The recent flurry of launches is reminiscent of the period leading up to its last nuclear weapons test in 2017.

At that time, as is happening now, the North tested missiles, there was no negotiation with the US, and Pyongyang fired two missiles over Japan.

• Fighting a North Korean attack

• What are North Korea's nuclear capabilities?

Satellite imagery shows the North is restoring tunnels at its nuclear test site, which they claimed to have destroyed in 2018 during a short-lived diplomatic rapprochement with the US under President Trump.

Last month, North Korea also revised its nuclear laws, with leader Kim Jong Un declaring his country an "irreversible" nuclear power.

With all going well, Kim is waiting for a politically appropriate moment to conduct his seventh nuclear test.

Analysts believe a test is likely to take place during the three-week window between the Communist Party Congress in China later this month and the US midterm election in early November.

Recent Launches of North Korea

• Sunday September 25: A day after a US naval carrier landed in waters around the Korean peninsula, a short-range missile was fired. 600km distance / 60km altitude

• Wednesday 28 September: Two short-range missiles were fired on the eve of US Vice President Kamala Harris' visit to Seoul and the DMZ. 360km Distance / 30km Altitude

• Thursday 29 September: Two short-range missiles after Harris departed South Korea. 300km distance / 50km altitude

• Saturday October 1: Two short-range missiles were fired during the US-South Korea-Japan exercise. 400km distance / 50km altitude

• Tuesday 4 October: Medium-range ballistic missile fired over Japan. 4,500km distance/2,800km altitude

• Thursday 6 October: Two more short-range missiles were fired. 800 km distance / 50 km altitude.