North Korea fired two cruise missiles into the sea on Wednesday as the country prepares for a possible nuclear test.
The missiles were launched from the west coast town of Onchon, according to a South Korean military official. South Korean and U.S. military officials are trying to determine details of the missiles’ flight and their range, according to Reuters.
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The launch comes just a day after the U.S. and South Korea began preliminary joint drills in preparation for a live field training that will take place from Aug. 22 to Sept. 1.
Wednesday’s launch is the North’s first missile test in two months. It comes on the 100th day of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s term in office.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un’s military has conducted at least 16 missile tests in 2022, including launching three ballistic missiles in May, a week before President Joe Biden paid a visit to South Korea.
Military officials in South Korea, the U.S., and Japan have expressed concern that North Korea is gearing up for its first nuclear test since 2017 at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site. The site had been closed since 2018.
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Kim pledged to bolster his nuclear arsenal following failed denuclearization discussions between the Hermit Kingdom and the U.S. During a military parade earlier this year, Kim said the North would advance its nuclear capabilities at the “fastest possible speed.”
