BLAST OFF
North Korea launches ballistic missiles over Sea of Japan in second test in a week
NORTH Korea launched two missiles over the Sea of Japan, military officials have said.
The latest test comes just a week after two missiles were launched into the same area and amid concerns Pyongyang has shrunk its nuclear warheads to fit on its missiles.
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According to the South Korean military, two projectiles were launched from Sandok, on the east coast of North Korea.
The Japan’s defence ministry the missiles didn't reach Japanese territory but the country's Coast Guard warned shipping not to approach any fallen debris.
The previous launches have been widely seen as a bullish protest at US-led war games.
Pyongyang views the joint military drills involving the US and South Korea as preparations for an invasion of the North.
The previous missiles tested flew 248 miles before landing in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.
It's not clear what weapons were fired during that test - but a US official told Reuters news agency that they seemed to similar to previous short range missiles fired by Pyongyang.
NUKE TALKS STALLED
The weapon was previously described as a "new-type large-calibre multiple launch guided rocket system" - but no specific details were given.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly played down the rocket launches - which come amid stalled diplomatic talks.
The US is trying to get North Korea to rein in its nuclear weapons programme and long-range missile tests.
But North Korea is angling for crippling economic sanctions to be lifted first.
Japanese military leaders have said the miniaturisation of the nukes as a "serious and imminent threat" in a defence white paper.
On April 21, 2018, Kim Jong-un said the reclusive nation was suspending long-range nuclear missile tests and shutting its test sites.
At the Singapore summit on June 11, 2018, Trump and Kim agreed to start the denuclearisation "very quickly".
The US President said the meeting had gone "better than anyone could have expected".
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"We are going to sign this historic agreement," said Kim. "The world will see a major change."
In the agreement, Kim committed to "complete denuclearisation of Korean Peninsula".
However, despite the pledge, the rogue state has not stopped its nuclear activities, the UN's nuclear watchdog said.
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