N. Korea fires short-range missiles in 4th launch this year

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea has fired two short-range missiles into the sea in its fourth weapons launch this month. South Korea’s military said the suspected ballistic missiles flew around 236 miles on a maximum altitude of 26 miles before landing off the country’s northeastern coast. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the missile launches highlighted the destabilizing impact of the North’s “illicit” weapons program. Some experts say North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is returning to a tried-and-true tactic of pressuring his neighbors and the U.S. with missile launches and outrageous threats before offering negotiations meant to extract concessions. After nuclear diplomacy with the U.S. collapsed in 2019, Kim pledged to further expand his nuclear arsenal.