North Korean missile triggers alert in Japan 0:50
(CNN) --
The United States and South Korea launched four missiles off the east coast of the Korean peninsula on Wednesday morning local time, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The test was the allies' second exercise in less than 24 hours, following a provocation by North Korea on Tuesday morning.
The neighboring country fired a ballistic missile without warning at Japan, in a significant escalation of its weapons testing program.
The United States and South Korea initially responded to the provocation with a precision bombing exercise on Tuesday, in which a South Korean F-15K fighter jet fired two air-to-ground munitions at a virtual target at a firing range. west of the Korean peninsula, the South Korean joint chiefs said.
Allies often respond to North Korean missile tests with military exercises.
Why did North Korea fly one of its missiles over Japan?
Wednesday's launch included four ATACMS missiles, according to the statement from the South Korean joint chiefs.
Also known as Army Tactical Missile Systems, these surface-to-surface missiles that can fly around 320 kilometers.
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According to John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the US National Security Council, the launch was designed to demonstrate that the United States and its allies have "the military capabilities ready to respond to North Korean provocations."
In this Oct. 4 photo made available by the South Korean Ministry of Defense, South Korean Air Force F-15K and U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jets fly over the Korean Peninsula (Credit: South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty Images)
"This is not the first time we've done this in response to provocations from the North to make sure we can demonstrate our own capabilities," Kirby told CNN's Pamela Brown on "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer."
“We want to see the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula;
(North Korean leader Kim Jong Un) has shown no intention of moving in that direction, frankly he is moving in the opposite direction by continuing to conduct these missile tests that are violations of security council resolutions,” he added.
North Korean missile triggers alert in Japan 0:50
South Koreamilitary exerciseUnited States newsMissile test
