Asia

SKorean military: NKorea's latest launches were missiles

Associated Press
Published | Updated

This Thursday, May 9, 2019, photo provided Friday, May 10, 2019, by the North Korean government shows a test of military weapon systems in North Korea. North Korea fired two suspected short-range missiles toward the sea on Thursday, South Korean officials said, its second weapons launch in five days and a possible warning that nuclear disarmament talks with Washington could be in danger. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. 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)

This Thursday, May 9, 2019, photo provided Friday, May 10, 2019, by the North Korean government shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, observing a military test in North Korea. North Korea fired two suspected short-range missiles toward the sea on Thursday, South Korean officials said, its second weapons launch in five days and a possible warning that nuclear disarmament talks with Washington could be in danger. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. 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)

A South Korean military official says the two projectiles North Korea flew across its country toward the sea on Thursday were evaluated as short-range missiles.

The official said Friday that the U.S. and South Korean militaries share the assessment and are jointly analyzing more details from the launch. He didn't want to be named, citing office rules.

North Korea's state media showed leader Kim Jong Un observing the firing of rocket artillery and what appeared to be a short-range ballistic missile soaring from a launch vehicle.

The North's second launch in five days was seen as a brushback pitch toward Washington over deadlocked nuclear negotiations.