North Korea launched two short-range missiles from a train on Friday (January 13th), state media said on Saturday, the third weapons test since the start of the year, despite new US sanctions.
The trials were held to
"verify and judge the railway regiment's mastery of action procedures
," Pyongyang's official KCNA news agency said.
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Friday's launch came after Washington's decision on Wednesday to impose new financial sanctions on five North Korean nationals, following previous missile tests claimed to be hypersonic.
Friday's launch
"demonstrated high maneuverability and a high success rate
," according to the KCNA.
Discussions have been held
"on the establishment of a missile operating system by rail throughout the country"
, adds the agency.
The firings took place at 2:41 p.m. and 2:52 p.m. (0541 and 0552 GMT) and the missiles traveled a distance of 432 km at an altitude of 36 km towards the east of the Korean peninsula, the chiefs said. of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.
It was the third North Korean weapons test this month, after two successful hypersonic tests according to Pyongyang, a first on January 5 and then a second, supervised in person by leader Kim Jong Un, on January 11.
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In response, the United States imposed new sanctions on Pyongyang this week, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying North Korea was likely trying to
"catch attention"
with the spate of missile fire.
Pyongyang accused the United States of
"intentionally"
aggravating the situation.
Dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington remains deadlocked after talks between Kim Jong Un and then-US President Donald Trump broke down in 2019.
North Korea first conducted a test missile launch from a train in September 2021.
