South Korea said the alleged ICBM was fired at around 6 a.m. local time on Wednesday with a flight range of about 360 kilometers (223 miles) and an altitude of about 540 kilometers (335 miles). .
At around 6:37 a.m., the North fired a second ballistic missile, which is not believed to be an ICBM, which appears to have disappeared from South Korea’s surveillance at an altitude of 20 kilometers (12 miles), he said. South Korea.
The third missile, which was supposed to be a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM), flew about 760 kilometers (472 miles) and had an altitude of 60 kilometers (37 miles), the South Korean JCS added.
South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities are analyzing the evidence for more details, JCS said.
Japan also reported at least two missiles fired from North Korea, with one of them flying on an “irregular route” at a distance of about 750 kilometers (466 miles), said Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi.
Kishi said the missile landed on the outskirts of Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
In response to recent tests from North Korea, South Korea and the United States each launched a missile into the Korean Peninsula Sea, JCS said. A U.S. military statement confirmed the release.
“It proved that our army has the capacity and willingness to accurately strike the source of the provocation with our overwhelming force,” JCS added.
The South Korean Air Force also conducted an “elephant walk” on Wednesday, rolling out about 30 F-15K armed fighter jets on the runway as a show of strength, JCS said.
Last week, a US official warned that North Korea appeared to be preparing for an ICBM test during Biden’s trip, after satellite images revealed activity at a launch site near the capital, Pyongyang. Biden met with new South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol over the weekend. , where the two leaders said they would begin exploring an expansion of joint military exercises between their countries.
When asked if he would meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Biden said it “depends on whether he is sincere and whether he speaks seriously.”
So far, Biden’s strategy has not yet resulted in a working meeting with North Korea in the year since the administration completed a review of U.S. policy toward the hermit kingdom, a senior US official said. the administration, adding that “it has not been for lack of trying.” . ”
Meanwhile, Yoon said South Korea and its allies are ready for any act of North Korean provocation.
Last month, Kim promised to “strengthen and develop” its nuclear forces at the “highest possible speed.”
The latest launches mark the 16th time North Korea has tested its missiles this year, including what the U.S. believes was a failed May 4 test of ICBM that exploded shortly after launch.
But North Korea is believed to have tested an ICBM in late March.
This missile flew at an altitude of 6,000 kilometers (3,728 miles) and a distance of 1,080 kilometers (671 miles) with a flight time of 71 minutes before falling into the waters off the west coast of Japan, according to the Ministry of Defense. of Japan.
The U.S. military and intelligence agencies estimate that Pyongyang is also preparing for its first underground nuclear test in nearly five years.
CNN’s Jeremy Diamond, Jake Kwon, Brad Lendon, Oren Liebermann, Kevin Liptak, Jessie Yeung, and Paula Hancocks contributed to the report.