North Korea fires about 10 ballistic missiles as border tensions with South rise

North Korea fired about 10 short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast on Thursday, October 29, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, as reported by Al Jazeera, Gorkhapatra and Nagarik News. The South Korean military said the missiles were launched at about 12:30pm local time from an area around the coastal town of Wonsan, and that it had stepped up surveillance and was sharing information with the United States and Japan.

Japan's Defence Ministry separately confirmed the launch of what it said could be a ballistic missile, which came down outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, Al Jazeera reported, citing Kyodo News.

A row over a landmine blast

The launches came days after North Korea warned it would resume propaganda broadcasts along the border and deploy new weapons there, according to The Hindu, Gorkhapatra and Nagarik News.

Relations between the two Koreas have worsened since a landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone on September 21 injured three South Korean soldiers, Gorkhapatra, Nagarik News and Al Jazeera reported. Seoul has blamed North Korea for the blast. Pyongyang has rejected the blame, according to Al Jazeera.

South Korea has proposed military talks to calm the situation, and last week said it had invited the North to discuss restoring communication channels, Al Jazeera reported. North Korea has not accepted the offer.

Kim's visit to China

The launches also followed a surprise visit to China last weekend by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who went to seek closer cooperation with his country's main ally and economic lifeline, The Hindu reported.

According to Al Jazeera, US President Donald Trump's recent overtures to Pyongyang have raised concerns that South Korea, a US ally, could be sidelined in any nuclear talks with the North. Earlier in the week, Al Jazeera had reported North Korean howitzers spotted close to the border with the South.