DPRK fires three missiles

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The DPRK fired at least three short-range missiles on Saturday morning, according to South Korean and US military.

The missiles, flying more than 250 kilometers in the northeastern direction, were fired from a site in Kittaeryong in the eastern province of Gangwon at around 6:49 a.m. local time, according to South Korean military.

US Pacific Command said the launches of three short-range ballistic missiles were detected, adding that the first and the third missiles failed in flight and the second "appears to have blown up almost immediately."

The US military also said the launches did not pose a threat to Guam or North America.

CGTN Photo

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters on Saturday that there have been no reports of "any ballistic missiles landing in our territory or our exclusive economic zone," adding that the launches do not directly threaten Japan's security.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe instructed the government to maintain a high level of caution, Suga said.

The launch came one day after DPRK's Songun Day, a public holiday to celebrate the start of the "military-first" policy, or "Songun" policy. It also came a month after Pyongyang test-fired another intercontinental ballistic missile, which is capable of reaching the US state of Alaska.

DPRK's missile tests in 2017:

February 12: A new medium-range ballistic missile Pukguksong-2 tested off its east coast.

March 6: Four ballistic missiles from the Tongchang-ri launch site in the northwest, falling into the Sea of Japan.

March 22: Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile reportedly launched from its eastern region, but explodes in midair.

April 5: What believed to be a medium-range KN-15 ballistic missile was launched from its eastern port of Sinpo, traveling some 60 km before falling into the Sea of Japan.

April 16: A missile was launched early morning from Sinpo, South Hamgyong Province, but failed "almost immediately", said the US and South Korea.

April 29: What believed to be a medium-range KN-17 ballistic missile was launched from Pukchang airfield, but broke apart minutes after liftoff.

May 14: An intermediate range ballistic, Hwasong-12 missile was fired from a test site in the area of Kusong, which traveled 30 minutes, reached an altitude of more than 2,111.5 km, and flew a horizontal distance of 789 km, before falling into the Sea of Japan.

May 21: Another Pukguksong-2 medium-range ballistic missile test-fired from Pukchang airfield, which traveled approximately 500 km before falling into the Sea of Japan.

May 29: A short-range Scud missile was test-fired and flew about 450 km. It was its third attempt in nine days. June 8 "Multiple surface-to-ship missiles" were fired from the country's Wonsan, Gangwon Province, its east coast early morning, traveled northeastward around 200 km.

July 4: The DPRK tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) named Hwasong-14 from Panghyon Aircraft Factory 8 km southeast of Panghyon Airport.

July 28: The country carried another ICBM launched at 23:41 p.m. from Chagang Province in the north of the country.

August 26: The DPRK fired at least three short-range missiles in the morning from a site in Kittaeryong in the eastern province of Gangwon, flying more than 250 kilometers in the northeastern direction, the first attempt after it threatened to attack Guam in early August.

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