North Korea carries out latest missile launch sparking outrage from US

North Korea fired two ballistic missile on Thursday in what was the sixth such launch in less than two weeks.

The launch was described as “counteraction measures” after the US and South Korea held military drills in the region.

Both missiles were fired from the east of the country towards Japan. One reached 50km (31 miles) in altitude, covering 800km (497 miles), and the other 100km (62 miles) with a 350km (217-mile) range.

“This absolutely cannot be tolerated,” said Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida.

The launch comes after North Korea fired a missile over Japan on Tuesday which prompted the US call to call an emergency UN Security Council meeting.

Wednesday’s session ended with no agreement on next steps, despite warnings from the US and its allies about the council’s inability to reach consensus on North Korea’s record number of missile launches this year.

US ambassador to the UN, Lina Thomas-Greenfield said: “As the Security Council wrapped up a meeting on North Korea’s dangerous ballistic missile launches, we learned that Pyongyang launched two more missiles.

“Make no mistake: the two Council members that are blocking us from taking action are enabling North Korea.

“Stop the reckless, provocative, and escalatory behaviour and return to dialogue.”

In May, China and Russia vetoed a US-led push to impose more UN sanctions on North Korea over its renewed ballistic missile launches, publicly splitting the UN Security Council for the first time since it started punishing Pyongyang in 2006.

The launches have come after a series of drills between the US, South Korea and Japan.

Due to these drills, North Korea accused the three states of “escalating military tensions on the Korean peninsula".

North Korea has launched approximately 40 missiles this year including a supposed launch of a hypersonic missile.