S.Korea: New type of missile fired by North

NHK -- Jul 26

South Korea's National Security Council on Thursday concluded that the two projectiles fired earlier in the day from the North were short-range ballistic missiles of a new type.

It expressed deep concern by saying the missile launch does not help in the efforts to ease the military tension on the Korean Peninsula.

The country's Joint Chiefs of Staff said that two projectiles were fired at about 5:34 a.m. and 5:57 a.m. toward the Sea of Japan from an area near the North's eastern town of Wonsan.

It says both missiles were fired from mobile launchers and flew at a maximum altitude of over 50 kilometers. It says the first one flew about 430 kilometers and the second one more than 690 kilometers.

The NSC says it will work with the United States to make a further assessment.

On Tuesday, North Korea's state-run media reported that the country's leader Kim Jong Un had inspected a new submarine for operation in the Sea of Japan.

Kim may have been present at the missile firing as he was when a short-range missile was fired in May.