Models of mock North Korea's Scud-B missile, back left, and other South Korean missiles are displayed at Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul, South Korea. (AP PHOTO/ LEE JIN-MAN / July 4, 2009)
SEOUL, South Korea (WPIX) -
North Korea fired seven ballistic missiles off its eastern coast Saturday, South Korea said - a violation of U.N. resolutions and a message of U.S. defiance.
The launches come two days after North Korea fired what is believed to be four short-range cruise missiles. The firings will likely escalate tensions abroad as the U.S. tries to toughen enforcement of the latest U.N. Security Council resolution passed after the communist regime's May nuclear testing.
Three missiles were fired early Saturday, a fourth around noon and three more in the afternoon, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Defense Ministry says the missiles are believed to be ballistic and to have flown more than 250 miles.
"Our military is fully ready to counter any North Korean threats and provocations based on strong South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted military officials as saying the missiles appeared to be a type of Scud missile, and that North Korea's Scuds are considered short-range. But, the agency also says its possible they could have been long-range Rodong missiles fired a shorter distance.
Scud missiles have a range of up to 300 miles, which could hit most of South Korea. The Rodong has a range of up to 800 miles, putting most parts of Japan within striking distance.
North Korea is not allowed to fire Scuds, medium-range or long-range missiles under U.N. resolutions prohibiting any launch using ballistic missile technology.
Thursday's firings, however, do not appear to be in conflict with resolutions, according to South Korea's Foreign Ministry. Ballistic missiles are guided during their ascent out of the atmosphere but fall freely when they descend. Cruise missiles, which were believed to have been fired Thursday, fly low and straight to their target.
The missiles were seen as part of military exercises, but North Korea also appeared to have sent a message to the U.S., being that they were ordered on America's Independence Day.
According to a senior official in South Korea's presidential office, North Korea could fire more missiles in coming days. But, officials say there is little possibility it could fire an intercontinental ballistic missile, as it threatened in April.
The launches come two days after North Korea fired what is believed to be four short-range cruise missiles. The firings will likely escalate tensions abroad as the U.S. tries to toughen enforcement of the latest U.N. Security Council resolution passed after the communist regime's May nuclear testing.
Three missiles were fired early Saturday, a fourth around noon and three more in the afternoon, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Defense Ministry says the missiles are believed to be ballistic and to have flown more than 250 miles.
"Our military is fully ready to counter any North Korean threats and provocations based on strong South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted military officials as saying the missiles appeared to be a type of Scud missile, and that North Korea's Scuds are considered short-range. But, the agency also says its possible they could have been long-range Rodong missiles fired a shorter distance.
Scud missiles have a range of up to 300 miles, which could hit most of South Korea. The Rodong has a range of up to 800 miles, putting most parts of Japan within striking distance.
North Korea is not allowed to fire Scuds, medium-range or long-range missiles under U.N. resolutions prohibiting any launch using ballistic missile technology.
Thursday's firings, however, do not appear to be in conflict with resolutions, according to South Korea's Foreign Ministry. Ballistic missiles are guided during their ascent out of the atmosphere but fall freely when they descend. Cruise missiles, which were believed to have been fired Thursday, fly low and straight to their target.
The missiles were seen as part of military exercises, but North Korea also appeared to have sent a message to the U.S., being that they were ordered on America's Independence Day.
According to a senior official in South Korea's presidential office, North Korea could fire more missiles in coming days. But, officials say there is little possibility it could fire an intercontinental ballistic missile, as it threatened in April.
