By Oyintari Ben
For the first time, North and South Korea both launched missiles across their maritime boundary.
On Wednesday, three hours after Pyongyang fired a missile that landed fewer than 60 kilometers (37 miles) from its eastern city of Sokcho, the South replied.
Such a shooting, according to Seoul, was a “unacceptable” invasion of its land.
In retaliation, it launched three air-to-ground missiles, which according to officials landed a comparable distance past the Northern Limit Line.
On Wednesday, the South claimed the North fired at least 10 missiles. These are thought to be a retaliation to joint military exercises being conducted this week by the US and South Korea.
At least one of the missiles, which were fired on Wednesday just before 9:00 (00:00 GMT), came down roughly 26 kilometers from the border, 57 kilometers east of Sokcho, and 167 kilometers north-west of Ulleung island.
Residents of Ulleung were instructed to flee to subterranean shelters after the launch activated air-raid sirens there.
Authorities in South Korea and Japan promptly took notice of it and denounced Pyongyang’s escalation.
President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea called it a “effective territorial invasion” and vowed to respond “swiftly and firmly.” However, nations only have the legal authority to define their territorial sea up to a distance of 12 nautical miles (22km).
Three hours later, in the waters off its east coast, the South fired three precision air-to-ground missiles from airplanes.
Although Pyongyang has not yet reacted to the latest launch from the South, the firings this year have markedly increased hostilities on the peninsula, which has previously seen more than 50 missile launches from North Korea.
