Report: North Korea test-fires more missiles (again)

[The Minx]

Link

SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- North Korea fired three short-range missiles toward the Sea of Japan, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported Saturday.

Quoting a South Korean government official, the agency said the missiles were apparently Scud-type missiles, estimated to have a range of about 500 km (310 miles). South Korean intelligence estimates that North Korea has about 700 such missiles in its arsenal.

Pyongyang test-fired four such missiles off the east coast on Thursday, Yonhap reported.

North Korea had issued a warning to mariners to avoid an area in the Sea of Japan at certain times between June 24 and July 9 because of a "military firing exercise," according to a U.S. military communication about the warning provided to CNN.

The recent firings come amid heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula. North Korea conducted a nuclear test in May, fired test rockets and threatened U.S. and South Korean ships near its territorial waters.

Some time ago, I head that Dear Leader once wanted to become a movie director. But for all that he fancies himself a showman, he really needs some new material.

"Durr! I has missiles and bombs!"

"Nuh uh! I don't wanna talk!"

Ho hum.

[Cpl Kendall]

Let me guess, their out of oil/rice/fertilizer again?

I hate to be a cynic but that seems to run hand in hand with their tests and exercises.

[Mayabird]

Could also be internal politicking. Kim looks like warmed over death (and he never lived a healthy life) and his chosen successor son is only a few months older than me. People and factions could be jockeying for influence and positions and one way of doing that is showing off how much they can flip off the rest of the world.