North Korea once again fires two missiles as first test of the year

SEOUL (WEB DESK) – North Korea once again fired two missile as the first test of the year on Monday. According to the British news channel BBC, North Korea launched two unidentified projectiles off its east coast on Monday, the South Korea military says, in its first apparent weapons test of the year. Little is known about the projectiles, except that they were launched from the North's east coast towards the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea. Last May saw the first missile tests after an 18-month freeze. As the year progressed, many more followed. North Korea has historically stepped up missile testing in the spring. “The military is monitoring for additional launches and maintaining readiness,” said South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The tests come just days after South Korea and the US announced they were postponing the annual joint drills that anger the North, amid concern over the coronavirus. Leif Eric-Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said the tests seemed to be "less provocative than North Korea is capable of". But the country is still "making it clear it will continue to improve military capabilities and make outsized demands". But Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe accused the North of launching ballistic missiles, earning him scorn from North Korean state media who called him an "imbecile". North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under UN Security Council resolutions. It has in the past fired missiles that it claims are capable of reaching the US mainland. Talks between the US and North Korea about its nuclear programme remain stalled.