N.Korea Fires 3 More Ballistic Missiles

North Korea fired three ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Wednesday, the Joint Chiefs of Staff here said Wednesday.

The fresh provocation came a day after U.S. President Joe Biden wrapped up his trip to Seoul and Tokyo early this week, vowing to use all defense capabilities including nuclear weapons to defend South Korea against a nuclear attack from the North.

A provocation of one kind or another was widely expected at this time. This was already the North's 17th missile launch this year alone.

The JCS said the missiles were launched from Pyongyang over the course of an hour between 6 and 7 a.m. They flew about 360 km and reached a maximum altitude of 540 km. One of them appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile.

President Yoon Suk-yeol called a meeting with security officials shortly after the North fired the missiles and condemned the launches as a "grave provocation."

According to the Defense Ministry the same day, Yoon also appointed Gen. Kim Seung-kyum as a new JCS chief in his first reshuffle of top brass since he took office.