North Korea defends missile tests

By Park Sae-jin Posted : July 29, 2014, 11:01 Updated : July 29, 2014, 11:01

 

North Korea's top military body defended its recent missile tests as a legitimate exercise in self-defense, and said South Korean and U.S. charges of provocation were malicious and hypocritical.

The North has conducted half-a-dozen missile, rocket and heavy artillery tests over the past month, earning a verbal slap on the wrist from the U.N. Security Council.

The launches included a number of ballistic missile tests, which North Korea is banned from conducting under existing U.N. resolutions.

The National Defense Commission said on July 21 that condemnation of the tests was absurd given the large-scale military drills the South Korean and U.S. forces conduct every year south of the border.

The military allies carried out a joint naval exercise last week, and a separate two-day "search and rescue" maritime drill kicked off on July 21 with Japan also participating.

By Ruchi Singh
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