North Korea launched two surface-to-air missiles into the Yellow Sea on April 7, just before Defense Secretary Ash Carter arrived in Japan for consultations, South Korean military officials confirmed Thursday, reported Reuters. “It’s just a reminder of how tense things are on the Korean Peninsula,” Carter said to reporters as he departed Japan on April 9. “If it was a welcoming message to me, I’m flattered.” The launches, Carter added, reinforce the importance of missile defense preparations and consultations the US has had with the South Koreans, to include the potential deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Air Defense system (THAAD) to the Peninsula. The North has vociferously opposed the potential THAAD deployment via its propaganda apparatus recently. The SAM launches are the second reported missile launch in a week, with the North test firing four “short-range” missiles into the Yellow Sea on April 3, according to the South Korean Joint Staff. South Korean officials are also concerned the North could test launch a ballistic missile soon, as Pyongyang has reportedly designated a no-fly zone off its east coast and mobile ballistic missile launchers on North Korea’s east coast have been reported by South Korean media services. The North last test fired short-range ballistic missiles on March 2, in protest of the annual Key Resolve-Foal Eagle exercises.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
