South Korea said on Monday it remained in close coordination with the United States over North Korea’s recent missile launches, as criticism grew over Seoul’s delayed disclosure of Pyongyang’s latest weapons tests, according to media reports.
North Korea on Thursday tested a new multiple rocket launcher and other key weapons under the supervision of leader Kim Jong Un.
However, the South Korean military did not announce details of the launches on the day they occurred, prompting questions over whether the information had been withheld or whether the launches were not detected in real time, according to Yonhap News Agency.
Local media suggested that the United States’ decision to limit intelligence sharing on North Korea’s military activities may have affected Seoul’s ability to monitor the launches.
Responding to the criticism, Defence Ministry spokesperson Col. Lee Kyung-ho said South Korean and US forces had detected and tracked multiple projectiles in real time on June 25 while maintaining close coordination.
Lee said the projectiles had been classified as tactical weapons systems, with their full specifications to be determined following a comprehensive analysis.