KIM YO-JONG LASHES OUT AT MOON

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea’s Kim Yo-jong says President Moon Jae-in’s remarks on deterring Pyongyang’s provocations are highly regrettable and could put an end to inter-Korean relations. North Korean media has released images of the latest missile launch. The missiles were fired from a train.

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North Korea has issued a statement blasting President Moon Jae-in. It says its latest missile launch was not a provocation, but an act of self-defense. Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, unleashed her anger at the South Korean president on Wednesday night for observing the first test-launch of South Korea’s SLBM and saying it was powerful enough to deter the North’s provocations. Kim Yo-jong said the North will make sure to retaliate if the South Korean president personally steps in to slander Pyongyang and that the inter-Korean ties could be headed to complete destruction. However, she added this is not what the North wants. The statement was issued about four hours after President Moon's remarks. Kim Yo-jong asserts that the latest missile launch was not a provocation but a normal act of self-defense following the Workers’ Party’s decision to carry out the North’s weapons development plan. North Korean media released images of Wednesday's ballistic missile launch. They show that the missiles were launched from a train, not a missile vehicle like the transporter erector launcher. The Korean Central News Agency said it was the first drill of the railway missile squad, which was formed at the 8th Workers’ Party convention. The KCNA also said that it struck a target area in the East Sea 800 kilometers away from its location. It was overseen by Workers’ Party secretary Pak Jong-chon. Kim Jong-un did not attend. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff announced earlier that two short-range ballistic missiles were fired into the East Sea from Pyongnam, North Korea. They were launched by the North at 12:34 p.m. and 12:39 p.m.