North Korea fired cruise missiles in the direction of its western sea on Saturday, according to South Korea’s military, according to the Associated Press.
This is the country’s second event this week, after North Korea launched two short-range missiles on Wednesday to its eastern sea — just one day after the U.S. docked a nuclear-armed submarine in South Korea. North Korea on Thursday threatened possible retaliation over the docking of the USS Kentucky.
“The military security situation in the area of the Korean peninsula, which has undergone a fundamental change due to the reckless military moves of the U.S. and its followers, more clearly indicates what mission the nuclear weapons of the [North Korea] should carry out,” North Korean defense minister Kang Sun Nam said in a statement.
Saturday morning’s launch also comes as the country remains silent on the perceived detention of a U.S. soldier who “willfully” crossed into the country earlier this week. Travis King, a Private 2nd Class in the Army — believed to be in North Korean custody — reportedly sprinted from a tour on the South Korean side of the demilitarized zone.
His current status and whereabouts are unknown, according to officials.
“We don’t know where he is. We don’t know the conditions in which he’s living in right now,” White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby said Thursday during a briefing with reporters.
“We’re still doing everything we can to try to find out his whereabouts, his well-being and condition and making it clear that we want to see him safely and quickly returned to the United States,” Kirby added.