Again, North Korea Fires Two Ballistic Missiles, This Time From An Airfield In Pyongyang

North Korea's test launch of a hypersonic missile. (Source: KCNA)

JAKARTA - North Korea fired two suspected short-range ballistic missiles eastward from an airfield in Pyongyang on Monday, South Korea's military said, in its fourth show of force so far this year.

The South Korean military's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected projectiles fired from Sunan Airport in the capital early in the morning in a text message sent to reporters. It doesn't explain any further.

"Currently, our military is tracking and monitoring (North Korea) related movements and maintaining a readiness posture," the JCS said, citing the Korea Times on January 17.

The latest launch came just three days after North Korea launched two suspected short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea, which it later claimed were guided missiles fired by a regiment carried by train during shooting practice.

Monday's shooting from Pyongyang appears to underscore North Korea's growing ability to launch missiles from a variety of platforms, including rail, subsurface assets as well as ground-based facilities.

Last week, North Korea warned of a "stronger and more determined reaction" to the United States' imposition of new sanctions on six North Koreans involved in the regime's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.

In addition, North Korea also carried out self-proclaimed hypersonic missile tests on January 5 and Tuesday last week, raising tensions amid a stalemate in nuclear negotiations with the US.