North Korea carried out a series of artillery fires over the weekend, the South Korean military said, days after leader Kim Jong-un vowed to use "
force against force
". to defend the sovereignty of his country.
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The South Korean military detected "
several flight paths
" interpreted as North Korean artillery fire, the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul said on Sunday.
The alleged shots were fired between 8:07 a.m. (23:07 GMT) and 11:03 a.m. Sunday morning, the South Korean general staff said, recalling that Seoul is always ready for a firm military reaction in collaboration with its American ally.
North Korea's KCNA news agency, which usually reports successful weapons tests within 24 hours, made no mention of Sunday's or other recent missile launches.
“Traditional” type shots
North Korea, which has nuclear weapons, has been conducting a series of weapons tests since the beginning of the year, including the firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time since 2017. South Korea's presidential national security office held a meeting on Sunday evening to discuss the artillery fire and reaffirm Seoul's position to "
respond calmly and sternly
" to Pyongyang's provocations, the presidency said.
Seoul did not immediately release the alleged artillery fire on Sunday morning, as it was a "
traditional
" type with a relatively low altitude and short range, the presidency added.
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Seoul and Washington recently warned that Kim Jong Un's regime is planning a seventh nuclear test, which US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said would provoke a "
swift and forceful
" response.
Last week, at a three-day political conference, Kim Jong-un announced a plan to boost his country's military might.
South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup assured on Sunday that Seoul would "
strengthen
" its military capabilities as well as its security cooperation with Washington and Tokyo to counter the military threat from Pyongyang.
