North Korea launched an unidentified projectile toward the sea off its east coast on Wednesday, South Korea's military said.
The launch occurred early Wednesday morning, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. German reports specified that multiple rockets were fired toward the Sea of Japan. Seoul gave no details on what type of weapon was fired. South Korean and U.S. forces monitored the preparations closely. They tracked the projectiles immediately after launch. The missiles traveled less than 300 kilometers, the military said.
The launch follows a series of weapons tests since last week. North Korea tested a cruise missile and a ballistic missile with a cluster warhead. On Thursday, it fired about 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan. UN resolutions prohibit North Korea from launching ballistic missiles of any range.
Also on Wednesday morning, Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of leader Kim Jong Un, rejected possible talks with the United States for now. She said that as long as Washington maintains what Pyongyang calls a "hostile policy," there is no reason for personal meetings. She added that dialogue remains a possibility to secure peace. It must serve North Korea's national interests.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to meet Kim Jong Un this year. Speculation that the two could meet during Trump's China visit in about two weeks at the APEC summit in Shenzhen is considered unlikely by most experts.
