4 July 2009,
The launches fuelled regional tensions after the communist state’s nuclear test in May, which coincided with the US Memorial Day holiday.
They came as Washington seeks support for tough enforcement of United Nations sanctions aimed at shutting down the North’s nuclear and missile programmes.
Seoul’s foreign ministry said the first four weapons launched into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) were ballistic missiles, which the North is banned from firing under various Security Council resolutions.
South Korea’s military said the fifth, sixth and seventh missiles were of the same type. The seventh was fired at 5.40 pm (0840 GMT).
It was the first time in three years that the North had fired multiple ballistic missiles. It test-fired a long-range Taepodong-2 missile, along with six and mid-range missiles, on US Independence Day in 2006.
Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said they had a range of between 400 and 500 km (250-312 miles) but declined to say what type they were. Yonhap news agency said they were either Scuds, or Rodong-1 missiles whose maximum range of 1,300 km had been shortened.
The North on Thursday test-fired four short-range missiles with a range of 120 km into the Sea of Japan.
The latest launches, which started at 8am, were seen as more provocative since the missiles could potentially reach most of South Korea, and possibly parts of Japan.
“The military, on the basis of a strong joint defence alliance with the United States, is fully prepared to fend off any threats or provocations by the North,” the Joint Chiefs said in a statement.
The foreign ministry said the missiles were fired from a base at Kitdaeryong near the eastern port of Wonsan.
It said the “provocative act... clearly violates” three UN Security Council resolutions, including the latest one on June 12 which toughened weapons-related sanctions on the North in response to its May 25 nuclear test.
In a statement the ministry expressed “deep regret over North Korea’s continued acts to escalate tensions in Northeast Asia.”
Professor Kim Yong-Hyun of Seoul’s Dongguk University said the launches were clearly timed to coincide with US Independence Day.
“This is a thinly veiled warning to the United States and the international community that it may launch long-range missiles next time,” he told AFP.
“The North is exercising salami tactics, firing short-range missiles on Thursday and launching missiles with longer range today.”
Professor Yang Moo-Jin at Seoul’s University of North Korean Studies said the North was trying to show it could defend its long-range missile launch site at Musudan-ri further to the north, and “testing the waters” following the UN resolution.
Japan condemned the launches.
“It is a serious act of provocation against the security of neighbouring countries, including our country,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said.
Kawamura warned Tokyo would “promptly take appropriate measures” to implement the resolution.
Baek Seung-Joo of the Korea Institute for Defence Analyses said the North test-fires missiles three to four times each year to improve technology and maintain missile exports.
“Today’s launches were part of a usual military drill but by firing 500 km-range Scuds, the North was clearly displaying its ability to strike back against any international sanctions involving military means,” Baek told AFP.
He said, however, that there is no sign of the North preparing to fire another long-range missile in the near future.
The North has made a series of bellicose moves this year.
US and South Korean officials believe ailing leader Kim Jong-Il, 67, is staging a show of strength to bolster his authority as he tries to put in place a succession plan involving his youngest son, Kim Jong-Un.
A long-range rocket launch on April 5 was followed by a nuclear test — the second since 2006 — on May 25.
In the days after its atomic test, Pyongyang fired a total of six short-range missiles, renounced the truce in force on the Korean peninsula for half a century and threatened possible attacks on Seoul.
When the United Nations in June tightened sanctions on its missile and atomic activities, the North vowed to build more nuclear bombs.
THE ARSENAL - North Korea has well over 1,000 missiles of various ranges. It has sold missiles and technology overseas, with Iran being one of the large buyers. The North may have about 1,000 ballistic missiles alone — including as many as 685 Scud missiles of various types and 320 Rodong missiles. A U.N. resolution bans it from launching ballistic missiles.
SHORT-RANGE - North Korea has hundreds of non-ballistic missiles with ranges of 150 km (95 miles) or less. These include surface-to-air and surface-to-ship missiles. It fired a barrage of these missiles in May. There are no international agreements that bar it from test-launching these missiles.
SCUD TYPE - These include the Hwasong-5, with a range of about 300 km and the Hwasong-6, with a range of about 500 km. It first test-fired a Scud-B type missile in 1984. The North has steadily improved the ability of its Scuds to carry heavier warheads.
RODONG TYPE - The mid-range Rodong, first test-fired in 1993 and operationally deployed in 1998, has an estimated range of 1,000-1,400 km. It can hit all of South Korea and most of Japan.
IRBM - North Korea recently deployed a new type of mid-range ballistic missile some call the Musudan that can travel about 3,000 km. The intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) has a range that puts U.S. military bases in Guam at risk.
TAEPODONG TYPE - The Taepodong-1 is a multi-stage missile with an estimated range of 2,000-2,500 km. It uses liquid fuel and was fired over Japan in 1998.
The Taepodong-2 was first test-launched in July 2006 and flew for about 40 seconds before it blew apart. It is a multi-stage missile with a possible range of 6,700 km. Another version was launched in April and flew about 3,000 km before splashing into the sea. Analysts said that test showed the North had extended the range of its missiles but was still years away from building one that could strike the United States with a warhead.
The Taepodong-X is a solid fuel missile under development with an estimated range of 2,500-4,000 km.
North Korea does not have an operational missile that can hit the continental United States, analysts said.
ACCURACY AND PAYLOAD - Most analysts agree North Korea is some time away from building a nuclear warhead small enough to fit on a missile. The accuracy of the mid- to long-range missiles is also suspect.
North Korea designed its ballistic missiles to carry conventional weapons, chemical weapons and eventually nuclear warheads.