North Korea fires missiles after sending top envoy to Russia

North Korea has fired at least two suspected ballistic missiles in what would be its second such attack this month, as Kim Jong Un’s regime steps up threats to expand its nuclear weapons program.

The missiles were launched early Wednesday and have likely already landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, the Japanese Coast Guard said. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said several short-range ballistic missiles were fired toward waters near North Korea’s east coast.

No further details about the launch were immediately available. North Korea typically does not comment on its missile tests until the following day.

The launch comes after North Korea this week sent its foreign minister to Russia, a key ally of the Kim regime, on his second trip in less than a year. Pyongyang is also preparing for a parliamentary meeting that is likely to approve measures that would escalate tensions with South Korea.

South Korea and the United States have accused Kim of sending millions of artillery shells and dozens of ballistic missiles to Russia to help the Kremlin in its war against Ukraine. The recent weapons tests by Kim’s regime are likely a sign that President Vladimir Putin has weapons he can use in his attack on his neighbor, officials in Seoul have said.

In exchange for the weapons, Russia has sent aid that has bolstered North Korea’s economy and helped Kim advance his weapons programs, Seoul and Washington have said. Pyongyang and Moscow have denied the allegations despite ample evidence showing arms transfers have taken place.

North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles from its east coast nearly a week ago. It released images of the launch and the missiles appeared to be similar to the rockets that weapons experts say the Kremlin used to attack Ukraine.

Ukraine’s military intelligence chief says North Korean ammunition supplies to Moscow have been causing major headaches for his country’s defense as Russia’s full-scale invasion enters its third year.

Russia’s support has coincided with Kim’s adoption of a tougher stance toward Seoul and Washington, including declaring his intention to scrap the concept of peaceful reunification from the constitution, asserting his authority over a disputed maritime border in the Yellow Sea and boasting that he has the legal right to annihilate his neighbor on the divided peninsula.

North Korea’s parliament, known as the Supreme People’s Assembly, will meet on October 7, KCNA reported this week. It is expected to formalize changes to its constitution at the meeting, after Kim, at the last session of the Supreme People’s Assembly in January, called for scrapping the concept of “peaceful reunification” with South Korea.