MOSCOW, June 7 (RIA Novosti) - North Korea has fired at least one short-range missile into the sea to the west of the country, a South Korean news agency said Thursday.
If confirmed, this will be the second time the Communist state has launched a short-range missile into its coastal waters in a fortnight.
"We are confirming intelligence that North Korea fired several short-range missiles into the West Sea [Yellow Sea]," Yonhap news agency quoted an intelligence official as saying.
"The number of missiles fired today is estimated at one or two," the source said adding that the launch was a test, but that it was not immediately clear what type of a missile the North fired from where or at what time.
South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo said on its Web site that North had fired one or two anti-ship short-range missiles, without specifying a source.
In late May, Japanese media said North Korea had launched several missiles towards the Sea of Japan, while South Korean intelligence reported only of one short-range missile as part of Pyongyang's regular drills.
Some experts and media, however, said that the missile test may have been a response to South Korea's launch of its first Aegis-equipped destroyer.
North Korea launched short-range missiles from its eastern coast in May 2005 and a total of seven missiles, including the Taepodong-2 (range up to 6,000 km, or 3,700 miles) in July 2006.
A new medium-range missile was demonstrated at a Pyongyang military parade in April, resembling the modernized Soviet SSN-6 Sawfly. Experts put its possible range at 4,000 km (2,500 miles), capable of reaching Japan. One North Korean missile flew over Japan into the Pacific Ocean in 1998.
Pyongyang's weapons tests have raised international pressure over the country's nuclear program. The country is being pushed to meet its February commitments on disarmament, particularly the shutdown of its nuclear reactor in return for aid.
However, North Korea is still waiting for the outcome of a banking dispute over the release of $25 million of its funds held in a Macao bank that the United States blacklisted in 2005 on counterfeiting and money laundering charges.
