North Korea launched two objects, apparently ballistic missiles, and South Korea called the move inappropriate when the world was fighting Covid-19.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said North Korea this morning launched two objects into the Sea of Japan from the east coast of the port city of Wonsan. The missile flies 230 km and reaches a maximum height of 30 km.

"Such military action by North Korea is extremely inappropriate when the whole world is in trouble due to the Covid-19 outbreak. We call on North Korea to stop immediately," the JCS said.

Japan's Defense Ministry said the two objects appeared to be ballistic missiles and did not fall into Japan's exclusive territory or exclusive economic zone.

It is the eighth and ninth missile launched in four tests this month as the North Korean army conducts ongoing exercises, often supervised by leader Kim Jong-un. According to the statistics of Shea Cotton, a senior researcher at the James Martin Nuclear Nonproliferation Research Center, this is the largest number of missiles ever fired by North Korea in a month.

"Until the beginning of this year, the only time we saw regular tests like this was in 2016 and 2017, milestones in North Korea's missile program," Cotton tweeted.

All missiles fired from the beginning of the year have been small, short-range weapons. However, Kim Jong-un has warned that North Korea is developing a new strategic weapon and will be announced this year. Analysts speculate that it could be a new long-range ballistic missile or a submarine capable of launching long-range ballistic missiles.

KCNA reported that North Korea will hold a Supreme People's Council meeting in Pyongyang on April 10 with nearly 700 participants. Experts say the event is a demonstration of North Korea's ability to block Covid-19 when the Northeast Asian nation has not yet recorded any cases of nCoV, although many neighbors are confirmed by China and South Korea. infection.

Wonsan port city location on the east coast of Korea. Graphics: USA Today.