North Korea fired a pair of unidentified projectiles towards the East Sea Thursday in what could be the latest in a series of stepped-up missile tests amid stalled nuclear talks with the U.S.
“The projectiles were fired from areas in South Pyongan Province in the afternoon,” the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a brief release, adding, “Our military is monitoring the situation in case of additional launches and maintaining a readiness posture.”
No other details regarding the projectiles was immediately available.
That said, it was the 12th time this year that North Korea has carried out weapons testing. The previous test-firing took place Oct. 2, when Pyongyang tested a new type of sub-launched ballistic missile, the Pukguksong-3, near the country’s east coast.
During the previous 10 rounds of tests, the North Korean military tested short-range projectiles, including its own version of Russia’s Iskander ballistic missile and a “super-large” multiple rocket launcher system.
In recent weeks, Pyongyang has become increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress on denuclearization talks, particularly the United States’ reluctance to lift sanctions on the impoverished country.
President Trump has said in the past he is in “no hurry” to make a deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.