North Korea Tests Ballistic Missiles Ahead Of South Korean Elections

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JAKARTA - North Korea fired at least one suspected ballistic missile into the sea east of the Korean peninsula on Saturday, the region's military said.

The test was carried out openly just days before South Korea's presidential election.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the launch of one suspected ballistic missile on Saturday, March 5. Meanwhile, the Japanese prime minister's office also said that it was suspected to be a ballistic missile fired.

The launch will be the ninth this year. The most recent was on February 27 when North Korea said it was testing a system for reconnaissance satellites.

South Korea's military said Saturday's launch came from a location near Sunan, where Pyongyang's international airport is located. The airport has been the site of previous trials, including a February 27 launch.

South Korea's National Security Council will hold an emergency meeting, the presidential Blue House said.

The launch underscores the challenges facing anyone who wins Wednesday's presidential election in South Korea.

As denuclearization talks stalled, North Korea carried out a record number of missile launches in January. It appears North Korea is preparing to launch a spy satellite in the near future, and has suggested resuming testing nuclear weapons or long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) for the first time since 2017.

Analysts say North Korea could use South Korea's upcoming presidential transition or a major national holiday on April 15 to test launch new missiles or other weapons.

"The timing of North Korea's missile testing may seem odd to us, given the global focus on Ukraine," Jean Lee, a fellow at the Washington-based Wilson Center, said on Twitter.

"But it makes sense in North Korea, where scientists are focused on the perfect new weapon to showcase Kim at a major military parade in mid-April," he said.

North Korea's launch of ballistic missiles is prohibited by a United Nations Security Council resolution, which has imposed sanctions on the country over its weapons programme.

The United States has said it is open to talks without preconditions, but Pyongyang says talks are only possible after the United States and its allies abandon hostile policies.

On Friday, the US-based 38 North project and North Korea monitor said the country's main nuclear facilities were in full swing, producing fuel for potential nuclear weapons and expanding its nuclear production facilities.