Photo: KCNA via ReutersNorth Korea fired several short-range missiles into the sea off its east coast early on Saturday, South Korea and the US military said, as the two allies conducted annual joint military drills that the North denounces as preparation for war. The US military's Pacific Command said it had detected three short-range ballistic missiles, all of which failed with one of them blowing up almost immediately after launch. Pacific Command said the missiles did not pose a threat to the US mainland or to the Pacific territory of Guam, which North Korea had threatened earlier this month to surround "in a sea of fire". Secretary of State Rex Tillerson earlier this week credited the North with showing restraint by not launching a missile since the late July ICBM test. It is also believed to be developing a solid-fuel missile that could be used for submarine launches.

Source: Otago Daily Times August 26, 2017 00:22 UTC