Experts see Russia fingerprints on North Korea's new missile

FILE - This May 4, 2019, file photo provided by the North Korean government shows a launch of a missile in the east coast of North Korea. Experts say North Korea’s latest launches suggest it may have acquired or cloned a short-range missile the Russian military has long earmarked for export. It’s still unclear if the North bought them or built them itself, but experts say the missiles it launched over the past week look just like a nuclear-capable ballistic missile that has long been a source of tension in Europe. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)

TOKYO – The three new missiles North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has tested over the past week are eerily familiar to military experts: They look just like a widely copied missile the Russian military has been actively trying to sell abroad for years.

Ending a pause in ballistic missile launches that began in late 2017, Kim supervised the launch of the first missile from the country's east coast on Saturday and two more from the west on Thursday.

It's still unclear if the North bought the missiles or built them itself, but experts say they look just like a nuclear-capable ballistic missile that has long been a source of tension in Europe and was behind the Trump administration's decision to suspend a longstanding arms treaty with Moscow in February.