N. Korea fires short-range missile into east-coast sea

Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea

North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile into waters off its east coast Saturday, a South Korean defense official said, adding to its unusually high number of weapons tests this year. The launch came on the eve of the 61st anniversary of the signing of an armistice that ended the Korean War.

The missile, fired from North Korea’s southwest Hwanghae province Saturday evening, flew about 310 miles across the country before landing in the sea, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of department rules. He gave no further details.

North Korea routinely test-fires missiles, artillery and rockets, but the number of weapons tests it has conducted this year is much higher than previous years. Outside analysts say this indicates that North Korea’s young leader, Kim Jong Un, is handling things differently than his late father, Kim Jong Il, who sparingly used longer-range missile and nuclear tests as negotiating cards with the outside world to win concessions. Kim Jong Un inherited power upon his father’s death in December 2011.

Analysts also say Kim Jong Un won’t order troops to stop testing weapons unless rival South Korea and the U.S. make a major concession such as downsizing their regular joint military drills or conducting them in a low-key manner.