nSEOUL, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- South Korea on Wednesday denounced the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s launch of ballistic missiles, which were conducted in an apparent protest against a decision to deploy Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in South Korean soil.
Seoul's foreign ministry said in a statement that it was in a blatant violation of UN Security Council resolutions and a sternly provocative act toward the international community as well as South Korea.
The ministry said it will take necessary measures in close cooperation with major countries, while strengthening sanctions and pressures against the DPRK together with the international society.
The statement followed the DPRK test-firing two ballistic missiles, estimated to be Rodong, eastward from its west region on Wednesday morning. One exploded right after the launch, but the other traveled about 1,000 km into east waters.
It was the third launch by the DPRK of its ballistic missiles since South Korea and the United States early last month announced the agreement to install on THAAD battery in Seongju county, some 250 km southeast of Seoul, by the end of next year.
Just a day after the announcement, the DPRK test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) off its east coast to demonstrate against the THAAD deployment decision. In times of emergency, the SLBM is very hard to detect and track with the THAAD's X-band radar.
On July 19, Pyongyang launched two medium-range Rodong missiles and one shorter-range Scud missile. The THAAD system is incapable of Rodong and Scud missiles as the DPRK missiles fly at an altitude of 20-30 km, much lower than the altitude of 40-150 km at which THAAD interceptors shoot down missiles.
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DPRK fires 2 ballistic missiles to protest S.Korea's THAAD deployment
SEOUL, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday fired two ballistic missiles into east waters in an apparent protest against the deployment in South Korea of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD). Full story
