North Korea launches ballistic missiles towards Sea of ​​Japan in latest test

Japanese officials confirm two missiles were launched Sunday morning in what is believed to be Pyongyang's final weapons test

North Korea launched two ballistic missiles towards the Sea of ​​Japan (

Image: KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Image)

North Korea launched two ballistic missiles towards the Sea of ​​Japan in Kim Jong-un's latest test.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's office tweeted an "emergency alert" regarding the missile launch.

"North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile. More updates will follow," he said.

About 30 minutes later, the Japanese Ministry of Defense said that North Korea had launched a second "possible ballistic missile".

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the first launch took place on Sunday morning, but gave no further details.

This comes just three days after North Korea said it had tested a "high-thrust solid-fuel engine" for a new strategic weapon, a development that could allow it to possess a harder-to-detect arsenal of missiles intercontinental ballistic missiles that can reach the American continent.

North Korea has increased missile testing in recent months (

Picture:

KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Image)

In recent months, North Korea has tested a barrage of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, including the launch last month of its longer-range, liquid-fueled Hwasong-17 ICBM designed to carry multiple warheads.

Pyongyang also carried out a series of short-range launches it described as mock nuclear attacks on South Korean and American targets in an angry reaction to the expansion of joint American-South Korean military exercises that North Korea considers rehearsals for potential invasion.