North Korea fired two ballistic missiles toward the sea off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula.

Both missiles were launched within 50 minutes.

Reuters reported this.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) stated that two medium-range missiles flew about 500 km.

According to JCS, the launches took place between 11:13 p.m. on December 17 and 12:05 a.m. on December 18 local time from a test site in the area of Dongchang-ri village in Cheongsong County, Pyongan Province.

South Korean and the United States intelligence authorities are conducting a thorough analysis, factoring recent trends related to North Korea’s missile development, JCS said.

Japan’s Vice Defence Minister Toshiro Ino stated that the missiles seemed to have landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. There had been no report of damages.

It is emphasized that these tests took place a few days after Pyongyang announced the test of a high-thrust solid-fuel engine. According to experts, this would allow the quicker and more mobile launch of ballistic missiles.

It is also noted that North Korea seeks to develop a new strategic weapon and speed up its nuclear and missile programs.

The engine test, overseen by leader Kim Jong Un, was conducted on Thursday, December 15 at North Korea’s Sohae Satellite Launching Ground, which has been used to test missile technologies, including rocket engines and space launch vehicles.

AP emphasized that all of Pyongyang’s existing ICBMs use liquid propellant. Therefore, it is relatively easy for outsiders to spot their launch preparations via satellites. However, fuel in solid-propellant missiles is already loaded inside. Therefore, launch preparation times are shortened, and their mobility is increased. Thus it is harder for outsiders to learn what’s happening ahead of liftoff.

In total, this year, North Korea launched ballistic missiles 36 times and cruise missiles three times.

The Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile was tested last month.

The official report states that the missile traveled 999 km and achieved a height of 6,041 km above sea level within a flight time of 68.9 minutes.

The Hwasong-17 is a two-stage ICBM on a 22-wheel launcher. The missile itself has a length of 26 meters and a diameter of 2.7 meters.