DPRK test-fires new 'high-precision' missiles  

韩媒称朝鲜新研发“导弹”可打击韩国三军总部

A newspaper of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) releases a photo showing the test-fire of "newly developed cutting-edge ultra-precision tactical guided missiles." (Photo / Chinanews.com)

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) announced Friday that it has test-fired "newly developed cutting-edge ultra-precision tactical guided missiles."

DPRK leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test-fire at the central monitoring post, according to the official KCNA news agency, which lauded the new weapons as "another shining success" in the efforts to manufacture "high-precision, lighter, automatic and intelligent weapons and equipment."

The test-fire also helped the Korean People's Army (KPA) get "the master key" to producing world-class short-, medium- and long-range guided weapons and maximize their striking precision and power, the KCNA added.

Kim "expressed great satisfaction" with the results and expressed the belief that his country would "manufacture more ultra-precision tactical guided weapons capable of taking the decisive initiative in any operation and battle of modern warfare."

The test, the KCNA added, came at a time when the United States, South Korea and other allied forces are becoming "extremely reckless in the moves to isolate and stifle the DPRK and unleash a war of aggression."

The KCNA did not specify when it took place, but South Korean media reported Thursday that the DPRK fired three short-range projectiles into its eastern waters.

"The rockets were fired in succession from coastal areas near its eastern city of Wonsan at around 5 p.m. in a northeastern direction, and landed in international waters," South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) as saying.

A JCS official said the range appeared to be "some 190 km" and that they were looking into what types of rockets were used.

Also on Thursday, the DPRK accused the South Korean military of firing shells toward the waters of the DPRK from the waters around Yonphyong Island "without any prior notice."

Describing the incident as a "reckless provocation," the Command of the Southwestern Front of the KPA warned that the KPA is fully prepared to strike back.

Later that day, the U.S. State Department said the country is trying to determine whether the firings violated the U.N. Security Council resolutions.

"We're monitoring the situation and we're still evaluating the available information to identify the exact type of projectile that may have been launched," said Marie Harf, deputy spokesperson of the State Department during a regular press briefing.

According to the resolutions, Pyongyang has been banned from any ballistic missile activity in case such technology could be used to develop nuclear missiles.

"Obviously we wouldn't agree with any launch, but in terms of the technicality it depends on what they were," Harf said.

The two Koreas are still technically in a state of war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

Animosity has been running high on the Korean Peninsula after the two sides exchanged artillery shells in the disputed western sea border on May 22, some two months after trading hundreds of artillery shells in late March.