Seoul: North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Tuesday, according to Seoul's military. The event unfolded just hours before the US presidential election, drawing international attention and concern. According to Kuwait News Agency, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported detecting the launches around 7:30 a.m. from North Hwanghae province. The missiles traveled approximately 400 kilometers before landing in the sea. This incident follows just days after the North tested the new Hwasong-19 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in the same region. The US Indo-Pacific Command confirmed and condemned the missile launches, urging North Korea to cease further "unlawful and destabilizing" actions. The recent activity is part of a series of missile tests by North Korea, which recently claimed that the Hwasong-19 launch demonstrated its strategic missile capabilities and secured an "irreversible hegemonic position" in nuclear weapons delivery systems. In reaction to last week's ICBM launch, South Korea, the US, and Japan conducted joint air drills over waters east of Jeju Island, involving a US B-1B bomber. This military exercise was criticized by the sister of North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, who described it as showcasing the "most hostile and dangerous aggressive nature" of the enemy.
