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An ICBM launch by North Korea. (KCNA/Yonhap)

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff announced Tuesday that the South Korean military was conducting an analysis after detecting several short-range ballistic missiles launched toward the East Sea from the Sariwon area in North Korea’s North Hwanghae Province at around 7:30 am that day. 

The ballistic missile launch by North Korea came five days after its Thursday test launch of the new Hwasong-19 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

North Korea’s resumption of shows of force came just ahead of the US presidential election on Tuesday. Analysts suggested it may have intended to make its presence felt with ballistic missile test launches just before the election.

The launch also appeared meant as a gesture of protest over joint aerial exercises by South Korea, the US and Japan. On Sunday, the three sides staged a joint aerial drill in the area where the South Korean and Japanese air defense identification zones overlap east of Jeju, with at least one US B-1B strategic bomber taking part.

In a statement released through the Korean Central News Agency on Tuesday, North Korea’s Kim Yo-jong objected to the exercise, calling it “just another outright action-based explanation of the most hostile and dangerous aggressive nature of the enemy toward our Republic.”

The Joint Chiefs explained that the South Korean military had “redoubled its monitoring and alertness against additional launches” and was “maintaining a full readiness posture while closely sharing intelligence on North Korean ballistic missiles with US and Japanese authorities.”

By Shin Hyeong-cheol, staff reporter

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