North Korea launched at least two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) in the direction of the East Sea, as the area known on the Korean peninsula is called the Sea of ​​Japan, from Tokyo, according to a statement from the general staff in Seoul, a few hours after new large-scale US-South Korean joint military high schools began.

The joint high schools of the armed forces of Seoul and Washington, named “Freedom Shield”, are characterized as the largest in the last five years. They began against the backdrop of Pyongyang’s announcement yesterday that it had launched two cruise missiles from a submarine.

The exercises will last at least ten days and their purpose is to prepare the armies of the two countries to deal with the “increasing” threats of North Korea. Pyongyang announced on Monday that the test of the cruise missiles was aimed at verifying the functionality of its “deterrent means” “in various fields”.

In general, joint US-South Korean high schools are characterized by North Korea as rehearsals for an invasion of its territory. Washington and Seoul reject this accusation.

In 2022, the North Korean leadership declared its nuclear status “irreversible” and conducted an unprecedented number of ballistic missile tests, defying UN Security Council resolutions that theoretically bar it from developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads.

Tensions on the Korean peninsula have been rising since last year. On Friday, North Korea’s official KCNA news agency reported that the country’s leader Kim Jong-un had ordered his military to increase high schools for “real war”.

On the other hand, the US government has repeatedly reiterated its commitment to defend South Korea using “the full range” of US military capabilities, “including nuclear”.