North Korea fires missile barrage toward its eastern waters days after failed satellite launch

By KIM TONG-HYUNG and HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea has fired a barrage of ballistic missiles toward its eastern sea, according to South Korea’s military, days after its failed spy satellite launch drew condemnation. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday it detected around 10 suspected short-range ballistic missiles being fired from near the North’s capital toward the sea. Japan’s coast guard urged ships to exercise caution if they find fallen objects. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have increased as North Korea conducts more weapons-testing and South Korea holds military exercises with the U.S. and Japan. North Korea this week has flown hundreds of trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea in retaliation for activists flying anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets across the border.