North Korea launched several cruise missiles into the sea on Saturday, two days after the United States and South Korean militaries concluded their 11-day training exercises, regarded as rehearsal for invasion by Pyongyang. The South Korean and US intelligence authorities were analysing the details of the launches, it added. While North Korea has dubbed the military exercises as rehearsal for invasion, the South Korean and US officials maintain their drills as defensive. A day before the US-South Korea military drills ended, North Korea had fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea in what it said was meant to simulate “scorched earth” nuclear strikes on South Korea. North Korea has performed more than 100 weapon tests since the start of 2022 including ballistic launches which are banned by United Nations Security Council resolutions.
