North Korea fired two missiles into the sea yesterday in an apparent reaction to a slight by China, its main benefactor, ahead of the Chinese president’s visit to South Korea on Thursday.
Chinese heads of state have traditionally visited long-time ally North Korea before travelling to South Korea, which is diplomatically closer to the US. But President Xi Jinping of China has this time chosen to travel to the south first as economic and political ties between Beijing and Seoul strengthen and relations with Pyongyang chill.
The South Korean military said North Korea fired two scud missiles, which would be in breach of UN sanctions. They flew about 500km from its east coast before crashing into the sea, it said.