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N. Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles ahead of US election - Seoul

TOKYO, Nov 5 (KUNA) -- North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Tuesday, Seoul's military said, in a move just hours ahead of the US presidential election.
Yonhap News Agency reported that the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launches at about 7:30 a.m. from the western province of North Hwanghae, noting that the missiles flew about 400 km before splashing into the sea.
The US Indo-Pacific Command also confirmed and condemned the launches, calling on the North to refrain from further "unlawful and destabilizing" acts.
The launches came five days after the North launched the new Hwasong-19 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the East Sea on Thursday.
North Korea boasted of the new ICBM launch, claiming it renewed the records of its strategic missile capability and that it secured an "irreversible hegemonic position" in developing delivery means of nuclear weapons.
In response to last week's launch, South Korea, the US and Japan staged combined air drills, involving a US B-1B bomber, over waters east of the southern island of Jeju on Sunday, according to the JCS.
Sister of North Korea's Supreme Leader Kim Jong, blasted the air exercise just before the latest launch, describing it as demonstrating the "most hostile and dangerous aggressive nature" of the enemy. (end) mk.ahm