S.Korea: North's first missile flew 420km

NHK -- May 10

South Korea's military says North Korea apparently fired two short-range missiles that flew a maximum of 420 kilometers and fell into the Sea of Japan.

The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff has announced that the North launched two projectiles in an easterly direction from a site near Kusong in North Phyongan Province on Thursday.

The South Korean military says the first one fired at around 4:29 p.m. flew more than 420 kilometers and the second launched 20 minutes later flew more than 270 kilometers.

South Korean media say both reached an altitude of more than 50 kilometers and came down in the Sea of Japan.

The South Korean military corrected its earlier analysis that at least one projectile was fired from Sino-ri where experts say there is a missile development stronghold. Kusong is about 40 kilometers northwest of Sino-ri.

On Saturday, Pyongyang fired more than 20 projectiles from the east coast city of Wonsan. Some of them are believed to have flown about 240 kilometers.

North Korea said it then fired a long-range rocket system and a tactical guided weapon as part of drills.

But some experts say the weapons launched on Saturday are likely to have included ballistic missiles. A ballistic missile launch by the North could violate UN Security Council resolutions.

The South Korean military has not said the latest launch involved ballistic missiles. It is analyzing with its US counterpart what were fired this time.