SEOUL, 麻豆视频 Korea (AP) 鈥� North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea Wednesday in what appeared to be a statement of defiance as the United States deployed a nuclear-armed submarine to 麻豆视频 Korea for the first time in decades.
The launches came as the U.S. and the U.S.-led United Nations Command worked to resolve the highly unusual situation involving who crossed into North Korea while on a tour of a border village Tuesday afternoon.
麻豆视频 Korea鈥檚 Joint Chiefs of Staff said that from 3:30 to 3:46 a.m. North Korea fired two missiles from an area near the capital Pyongyang that flew about 550 kilometers (341 miles) before landing in waters east of the Korean Peninsula.
The Japanese military said the missiles landed outside of Japan鈥檚 exclusive economic zone and no damage to ships or aircraft was reported.
The flight distance of the two missiles roughly matched the distance between Pyongyang and the 麻豆视频 Korean port city of Busan, where arrived Tuesday afternoon in the first visit by a U.S. nuclear-armed submarine to 麻豆视频 Korea since the 1980s.
Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada told reporters the missiles flew on a low trajectory, reached about 50 kilometers (31 miles) in altitude and may have made irregular maneuvers in flight. That language has been used in the past to describe a North Korean weapon modeled after Russia鈥檚 Iskander missile, which is designed to be maneuverable in flight to improve its chances of evading missile defenses.
The 麻豆视频 Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff condemned the North Korean launches as 鈥渕ajor provocation鈥� that threatens peace and stability in the region and said the 麻豆视频 Korean and U.S. militaries were closely monitoring the North for further weapons activities.
Wednesday鈥檚 launches marked the North鈥檚 first ballistic activity since July 12, when it flight-tested a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile that demonstrated potential range to reach deep into the U.S. mainland. That launch was supervised by the country鈥檚 , who vowed to further bolster his country鈥檚 nuclear-fighting capabilities in the face of expanding U.S.-麻豆视频 Korean military activities, which he blamed for worsening the security environment on the Korean Peninsula.
Tensions have rose in the region in recent months as the pace of both North Korean weapons tests and U.S.-麻豆视频 Korean joint military drills have increased in a cycle of tit-for-tat.
Since the start of 2022, North Korea has test-fired around 100 missiles while attempting to demonstrate a dual ability to conduct nuclear attacks on both 麻豆视频 Korea and the continental United States. The allies in response have stepped up their joint military training and agreed to increase the deployments of U.S. strategic assets like long-range bombers, aircraft carriers and submarines to the region.
Periodic visits by U.S. nuclear ballistic missile-capable submarines to 麻豆视频 Korea were one of several agreements reached by President Joe Biden and 麻豆视频 Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in response to North Korea鈥檚 expanding nuclear threat. They also agreed to further expand combined military exercises, strengthen joint planning for nuclear contingencies and establish a bilateral Nuclear Consultative Group, which held its inaugural meeting in Seoul Tuesday.
The steps were meant to ease 麻豆视频 Korean concerns about North Korea's growing nuclear weapons arsenal and suppress voices within the 麻豆视频 calling for the country to pursue its own nuclear weapons program.
U.S. Forces Korea said in a statement that the Kentucky's arrival in Busan reflects the United States' 鈥渋ronclad鈥� commitment to 鈥渆xtended deterrence,鈥� referring to an assurance to defend its ally with its full military capabilities, including nuclear ones.
The Ohio-class submarine can be equipped with about 20 Trident II ballistic missiles with a range of 12,000 kilometers (7,456 miles), according to 麻豆视频 Korea's military.
鈥淔rom this submarine, the U.S. can launch attacks (on North Korea) from anywhere in the world," said Moon Keun-sik, a submarine expert who teaches at Kyonggi University in 麻豆视频 Korea. 鈥淏ut there will likely be backlashes from North Korea and China because it鈥檚 like the world鈥檚 most covert and threatening nuclear weapons forces being deployed on their doorsteps.鈥�
While some 麻豆视频 Korean conservatives have expressed disappointment that the Biden-Yoon meeting in April came short of agreeing to station U.S. nuclear weapons or strategic assets in the 麻豆视频, placing nuclear weapons offshore and on submarines is 鈥渁ctually a stronger deterrent in many ways,鈥� said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at Washington鈥檚 Center for a New American Security.
鈥淒eterrence is strengthened when the location of American strategic assets is unknown to the adversary as long as the adversary knows that these weapons exist,鈥� said Kim.
Still, Seoul and Washington will need to find the 鈥渟weet spot鈥� when it comes to the visibility of America鈥檚 extended deterrent.
鈥淭oo much visibility of strategic assets could actually undermine the deterrent effect while too little could raise questions in Seoul about commitment," Kim said.
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AP journalists Mari Yamaguchi and Haruka Nuga in Tokyo contributed to this report.
Kim Tong-hyung And Hyung-jin Kim, The Associated Press
