North Korea fires cruise missiles, says South Korea

The South Korean military reported on Saturday that North Korea has launched several cruise missiles into the western sea off the Korean Peninsula.

Since firing two ballistic missiles on Wednesday, North Korea has launched one more missile, as Pyongyang and Washington escalate their military confrontation over the isolated nation’s missile and nuclear weapons programmes.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea reported that a number of cruise missiles launched since roughly 4 a.m. Saturday local time (1900 Friday GMT) had been discovered.

A U.S. nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) surfaced for a rare visit to South Korea on Wednesday, hours after which North Korea fired missiles.

On Thursday, North Korea also issued a warning, stating that the stationing of American aircraft carriers, bombers, or missile submarines in South Korea may be sufficient justification for the use of nuclear weapons.

(With agency inputs)