North Korea fires suspected ballistic missile into sea

By Hyung-jin Kim | Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea connected Tuesday fired a suspected ballistic rocket into the sea, Seoul and Tokyo officials said, the latest successful a bid of weapons tests by Pyongyang that raised questions astir the sincerity of its caller connection for talks with South Korea.

Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said successful a connection that “an unidentified projectile” fired from an inland determination successful North Korea flew toward the country’s eastbound oversea Tuesday morning. It said South Korean and U.S. quality authorities were analyzing details of the launch.

Japan’s Defense Ministry said North Korea fired a imaginable ballistic rocket but gave nary further details.

Earlier this month, North Korea performed tests of ballistic and cruise missiles successful its archetypal specified launches successful six months, displaying an quality to onslaught South Korea and Japan, some cardinal U.S. allies wherever a full of 80,000 American troops are stationed.

But past Friday and Saturday, Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean person Kim Jong Un, reached retired to Seoul, saying it’s unfastened to resuming talks and reconciliatory steps if conditions are met. Some experts said North Korea wants South Korea to play a relation successful winning alleviation from U.S.-led sanctions oregon different concessions. In her 2nd connection Saturday, Kim Yo Jong asked South Korea to wantonness “hostile polices” and “double-dealing standards.”

On Sunday, South Korea’s Unification Ministry called her connection “meaningful” but urged North Korea to reconstruct dormant connection channels earlier arranging talks betwixt the rivals. North Korea hasn’t responded.

U.S. officials person repeatedly expressed hopes to beryllium down for talks with North Korea but person besides made it wide they volition proceed sanctions until the North takes factual steps toward denuclearization.

A U.S.-led diplomatic effort aimed astatine convincing North Korea to wantonness its atomic weapons successful instrumentality for economical and governmental benefits stay stalled aft 2½ years. A main sticking constituent is simply a quality implicit U.S.-led sanctions imposed connected North Korea implicit its atomic and rocket tests.

Kim Jong Un has said helium volition bolter his atomic arsenal and present much blase weapons if the United States doesn’t driblet “hostile policies” connected the North, an evident notation to the sanctions. Despite his caller rocket tests, Kim inactive maintains a moratorium connected investigating longer-range weapons susceptible of reaching the American homeland, a proposition that it wants to support the chances for aboriginal diplomacy with the U.S. alive.

North Korea’s fragile system has suffered a immense caller setback due to the fact that of a operation of the coronavirus pandemic, the sanctions and earthy disasters. Kim has said his state faces “the worst-ever” crisis.

Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi successful Tokyo contributed to this report.