Seoul, December 24: Ahead of a major political meeting to set policy for the new year, North Korea fired two suspected short-range ballistic missiles on Friday, according to the South Korean military.

The missiles were fired from Pyongyang's Sunan area at around 4:32 pm local time, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement Friday.  COVID-19 Outbreak in China: Country Estimates Coronavirus Surge Infecting 37 Million People A Day.

It added the two missiles were launched into the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. North Korea is ratcheting up tensions with a record number of launches in 2022. This marks the 36th day North Korea has fired missiles this year alone, often launching multiple weapons at a time, reported CNN.

The Japan Coast Guard said it believed a ballistic missile had fallen outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone, citing information from the country's Ministry of Defence. Under leader Kim Jong Un, the isolated nation has aggressively ramped up missile tests, with US and South Korean experts warning that Pyongyang could be preparing for a nuclear test - which would be its first in more than five years. Russia-Ukraine War: President Vladimir Putin Threatens to Destroy Ukraine's Patriot Missile Systems, Provided by the US.

As reported by CNN, satellite imagery earlier this year showed activity at its underground nuclear test site. There was no immediate statement by North Korea on the launch, which came three days after the US flew nuclear-capable bombers and advanced stealth jets near the Korean Peninsula for joint training with South Korean fighter jets. North Korea typically views such military exercises as a rehearsal for an invasion. The US and South Korea have warned for months that North Korea is preparing to conduct its seventh nuclear test.

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