North Korea fired multiple suspected short-range ballistic missiles Friday, Seoul said, hours after leader Kim Jong Un's powerful sister denied widespread allegations that Pyongyang is shipping weapons to Russia.

The launches are the latest in a string of ever more sophisticated tests by North Korea, which has fired off cruise missiles, tactical rockets and hypersonic weapons in recent months, in what the nuclear-armed country says is a drive to upgrade its defences.

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Seoul and Washington have accused North Korea of sending arms to Russia, which would violate rafts of UN sanctions on both countries, with experts saying the recent spate of testing may be of weapons destined for use on battlefields in Ukraine.

Seoul's military said Friday it had detected the launch of what it described as "several flying objects presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles" from North Korea's eastern Wonsan area into waters off its coast.

The missiles travelled around 300 kilometres (186 miles), the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, adding that the military had "strengthened vigilance and surveillance in preparation for additional launches" and was sharing information with allies Washington and Tokyo.

The launches came just hours after Kim's sister Kim Yo Jong accused Seoul and Washington of "misleading the public opinion" on the issue with their repeated accusations that Pyongyang is sending weapons to Moscow for use in Ukraine.

They also come as Russian leader Vladimir Putin was in China on Friday, the final day of a visit aiming to promote crucial trade with Beijing -- North Korea's most important ally -- and win greater support for his war effort in Ukraine.

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The tests also came a day after advanced South Korean and US stealth fighters, including Washington's F-22 Raptors, staged joint air combat drills.

Such exercises typically infuriate Pyongyang, which views them as rehearsals for invasion.

- 'Warning message' - 
The North has appeared especially sensitive to air drills in the past, with experts noting its air force is the weakest link in its military.

"It appears that this is a counter-military demonstration in response to recent South Korea-US air exercises," Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, told AFP.

"It also appears to contain a warning message regarding the large-scale South Korea-US joint exercises scheduled for August," Yang said.

Inter-Korean relations are at one of their lowest points in years, with Pyongyang declaring South Korea its "principal enemy". &nbsp;

It has jettisoned agencies dedicated to reunification and threatened war over "even 0.001 mm" of territorial infringement.

The Friday launches are the latest since the North fired a volley of what Seoul said were short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast on April 22.

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North Korea is barred by rafts of United Nations sanctions from any tests using ballistic technology, but its key ally Russia used its UN Security Council veto in March to effectively end UN monitoring of violations, for which Pyongyang has specifically thanked Moscow.

Kim Jong Un inspected a new tactical missile weapons system on Tuesday and called for an "epochal change" in war preparations by achieving arsenal production targets.

- 'Likely a hypersonic missile' - 
The unusual wording of the South Korean military's statement implies the Friday test was "likely a hypersonic missile", said Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul.

"Hypersonic missiles are not yet stabilised weapons in North Korea," he told AFP, adding this tallied with the launch site in coastal Wonsan.

Despite the short flight trajectory, the launch could have been of "mid-range or longer-class missiles that were fired with an adjusted range for experimental purposes", Hong said.

"There is practically no weapon other than a hypersonic missile that can be described as both ballistic and a 'flying object'," he said.

The military typically describes missiles as "projectiles".

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North Korea has long sought to master more advanced hypersonic and solid-fuel technologies, to make its missiles more capable of neutralising South Korean-US missile defence systems and threaten the United States' regional military bases.&nbsp;

Hypersonic missiles are faster and can manoeuvre mid-flight, making them harder to track and intercept, while solid-fuel missiles do not need to be fuelled before launch, making them harder to find and destroy, as well as quicker to use.

North Korea fired multiple suspected short-range ballistic missiles Friday, Seoul said, hours after leader Kim Jong Un's powerful sister denied widespread allegations that Pyongyang is shipping weapons to Russia.

North Korea fired multiple suspected short-range ballistic missiles Friday, Seoul said, hours after leader Kim Jong Un's powerful sister denied widespread allegations that Pyongyang is shipping weapons to Russia. The launches are the latest in a string of ever more sophisticated tests by North Korea, which has fired off cruise missiles, tactical rockets and hypersonic weapons in recent months, in what the nuclear-armed country says is a drive to upgrade its defences. Also read: US blasts China after Putin-Xi meet, says 'you can't have it both ways' Seoul and Washington have accused North Korea of sending arms to Russia, which would violate rafts of UN sanctions on both countries, with experts saying the recent spate of testing may be of weapons destined for use on battlefields in Ukraine. Seoul's military said Friday it had detected the launch of what it described as "several flying objects presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles" from North Korea's eastern Wonsan area into waters off its coast. The missiles travelled around 300 kilometres (186 miles), the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, adding that the military had "strengthened vigilance and surveillance in preparation for additional launches" and was sharing information with allies Washington and Tokyo. The launches came just hours after Kim's sister Kim Yo Jong accused Seoul and Washington of "misleading the public opinion" on the issue with their repeated accusations that Pyongyang is sending weapons to Moscow for use in Ukraine. They also come as Russian leader Vladimir Putin was in China on Friday, the final day of a visit aiming to promote crucial trade with Beijing -- North Korea's most important ally -- and win greater support for his war effort in Ukraine. Also read: Ukrainian overnight drone attack claims lives of mother and child The tests also came a day after advanced South Korean and US stealth fighters, including Washington's F-22 Raptors, staged joint air combat drills. Such exercises typically infuriate Pyongyang, which views them as rehearsals for invasion. - 'Warning message' - The North has appeared especially sensitive to air drills in the past, with experts noting its air force is the weakest link in its military. "It appears that this is a counter-military demonstration in response to recent South Korea-US air exercises," Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, told AFP. "It also appears to contain a warning message regarding the large-scale South Korea-US joint exercises scheduled for August," Yang said. Inter-Korean relations are at one of their lowest points in years, with Pyongyang declaring South Korea its "principal enemy". It has jettisoned agencies dedicated to reunification and threatened war over "even 0.001 mm" of territorial infringement. The Friday launches are the latest since the North fired a volley of what Seoul said were short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast on April 22. Also read: Police kill man trying to burn down synagogue in France North Korea is barred by rafts of United Nations sanctions from any tests using ballistic technology, but its key ally Russia used its UN Security Council veto in March to effectively end UN monitoring of violations, for which Pyongyang has specifically thanked Moscow. Kim Jong Un inspected a new tactical missile weapons system on Tuesday and called for an "epochal change" in war preparations by achieving arsenal production targets. - 'Likely a hypersonic missile' - The unusual wording of the South Korean military's statement implies the Friday test was "likely a hypersonic missile", said Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul. "Hypersonic missiles are not yet stabilised weapons in North Korea," he told AFP, adding this tallied with the launch site in coastal Wonsan. Despite the short flight trajectory, the launch could have been of "mid-range or longer-class missiles that were fired with an adjusted range for experimental purposes", Hong said. "There is practically no weapon other than a hypersonic missile that can be described as both ballistic and a 'flying object'," he said. The military typically describes missiles as "projectiles". Also read: Torrential rains kill 4 in Houston, over 900,000 without power North Korea has long sought to master more advanced hypersonic and solid-fuel technologies, to make its missiles more capable of neutralising South Korean-US missile defence systems and threaten the United States' regional military bases. Hypersonic missiles are faster and can manoeuvre mid-flight, making them harder to track and intercept, while solid-fuel missiles do not need to be fuelled before launch, making them harder to find and destroy, as well as quicker to use.

N. Korea fires ballistic missiles after denying Russia arms transfers

Japan's coast guard said that North Korea fired what appeared to be two ballistic missiles on Saturday (October 1). Citing the defence ministry, the coast guard reported that at least two projectiles were fired from North Korea.&nbsp;

NHK, Japan's official broadcaster, claimed the objects appeared to have landed outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone.&nbsp;

"What appears to be a ballistic missile was launched from North Korea," the coast guard said in a statement issued at 6:47 am (2147 GMT).&nbsp;

About 15 minutes later, the coast guard said in a second statement that it appeared another ballistic missile had been launched. NHK cited official sources to claim that both rockets appeared to have landed outside of Japan's exclusive economic zones.&nbsp;

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Meanwhile,&nbsp;South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said that North Korea fired unspecified ballistic missiles toward the east coast on Saturday.

This becomes Pyongyang's fourth launch in a week as it ratchets up the tension in the Korean peninsula.&nbsp;

The launch follows US Vice President Kamala Harris' visit to South Korea this week and comes after the two countries conducted Ulchi Freedom Shield, their largest combined military exercise in about five years.&nbsp;

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North Korea conducted record-breaking tests of weapons this year, including the launch of two ballistic missiles on Thursday just hours after Harris departed South Korea.&nbsp;

South Korean and US officials have been warning for months that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is preparing to conduct another nuclear test.&nbsp;

North Korea is under multiple UN sanctions for its weapons programmes.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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Japan's coast guard said that North Korea fired what appeared to be two ballistic missiles on Saturday (October 1). Citing the defence ministry, the coast guard reported that at least two projectiles were fired from North Korea.

Japan's coast guard said that North Korea fired what appeared to be two ballistic missiles on Saturday (October 1). Citing the defence ministry, the coast guard reported that at least two projectiles were fired from North Korea. NHK, Japan's official broadcaster, claimed the objects appeared to have landed outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone. "What appears to be a ballistic missile was launched from North Korea," the coast guard said in a statement issued at 6:47 am (2147 GMT). About 15 minutes later, the coast guard said in a second statement that it appeared another ballistic missile had been launched. NHK cited official sources to claim that both rockets appeared to have landed outside of Japan's exclusive economic zones. ALSO READ | 'Mr Putin, don't misunderstand what I'm saying': Joe Biden warns Russian President Vladimir Putin Meanwhile, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said that North Korea fired unspecified ballistic missiles toward the east coast on Saturday. This becomes Pyongyang's fourth launch in a week as it ratchets up the tension in the Korean peninsula. The launch follows US Vice President Kamala Harris' visit to South Korea this week and comes after the two countries conducted Ulchi Freedom Shield, their largest combined military exercise in about five years. ALSO READ | Putin annexes four occupied regions; Ukraine accelerates its NATO membership bid [Emergency alert] North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile. More updates to follow. — PM's Office of Japan (@JPN_PMO) September 30, 2022 × WATCH | Has China opened illegal police stations worldwide amid its quest to emerge as a global superpower? × North Korea conducted record-breaking tests of weapons this year, including the launch of two ballistic missiles on Thursday just hours after Harris departed South Korea. South Korean and US officials have been warning for months that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is preparing to conduct another nuclear test. North Korea is under multiple UN sanctions for its weapons programmes. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Amid escalating tensions, North Korea fires two ballistic missiles, claims Japan coast guard

North Korea once again fired a ballistic missile into the sea. This comes hours after the U.S. reaffirmed its offer to resume diplomacy on North Korea's nuclear weapons program

North Korea: Pyongyang continues it's missile testing spree