North Korea fired missiles at the end of US and South Korea military exercises

North Korea has fired four short-range missiles as the US and South Korea have completed large-scale joint military exercises.

The missiles fell into the Yellow Sea west of the Korean Peninsula, the South Korean military said. The six-day exercise between the United States and South Korea has heightened tensions in the region in recent days.

North Korea launched a total of more than 30 missiles in what the country says is a “provocative” exercise. The country fired 23 rockets on Wednesday after dictator Kim Jong-un came to power.

A day later, an intercontinental ballistic missile was launched Emergency warnings In some parts of Japan.

Because of those launches, the U.S. and South Korea decided to extend the so-called Vigilance Storm exercise by a day until Saturday.

In addition, US B-1B bombers flew in the annual exercise for the first time since 2017.

Those strategic bombers have been absent in recent years, at a time when diplomatic ties with North Korea were strained under the previous US President Trump.

According to the US and South Korea, the exercise shows the two countries’ commitment to respond “firmly” to North Korean provocations. A spokesman for North Korea’s foreign ministry said last night that it would respond to “constant provocations” with “constant countermeasures”.