North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles

SEOUL

North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles on Oct. 22, its first such launch in months just a week before world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, descend on South Korea for a summit.

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had "detected several projectiles, believed to be short-range ballistic missiles."

The missiles were fired around 8:10 a.m. yesterday from an area south of the capital Pyongyang, Seoul's military said.

They flew for around 350 kilometers, Seoul added.

The launch was the first of its kind since South Korean President Lee Jae-myung took office in June.

Trump has said he hopes to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, possibly this year, following several meetings during the Republican president's first term.

The North's state media has indicated that Kim is open to future talks, with caveats that the United States give up its "delusional" demand that Pyongyang relinquish its nuclear arsenal.

North Korea this month showed off what it called its "most powerful" intercontinental ballistic missile at a military parade attended by top officials from Russia and China.

Pyongyang has said that the strike range of the new Hwasong-20 "knows no bounds."

In September, Kim oversaw a test of a solid-fuel engine used for long-range nuclear missiles.

State media said it was the ninth and final test of the engine, indicating that a full test-fire of the new ICBM could be conducted in the coming months.