North Korea Tests Seven Missiles Defying US Independence Day, UN Sanctions

July 4, 2009 7:49 a.m. EST

Seoul, South Korea (AHN) - North Korea has test fired seventh missile on Saturday into the sea off its east coast, defying the U.S. on Independence Day and the United Nations sanctions.

The test was in a series of short-range missiles launched today toward the Sea of Japan, in a move to destabilize the Korean Peninsula by provoking South Korea.

South Korean officials said that North Korea launched seven short-range, Scud-type missiles, with approximate range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles), in less than seven hours.

North Korea fired missiles toward the East Sea from the Gitdaeryong base near Wonsan, Gangwon Province, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:10 p.m. (07:10 GMT), the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul on condition of anonymity told South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

South Korean officials did not rule out the possibility that what the North fired might have actually been Rodong missiles -- modifications of Scuds -- that have an estimated range of around 1,500 kilometers and are able to reach many parts of Japan, Yonhap reported.

The intelligence sources in Seoul have projected that North Korea may have up to 1,000 ballistic missiles, including 700 Scud missiles of various types and 320 Rodong missiles.

Pyongyang's May 25 nuclear test has already raised tensions worldwide, forcing China to suspend government exchanges with the Communist state and attracting sanctions from UN Security Council to halt nuclear tests or any launch using ballistic missile technology. In the same month, North Korea fired six short-range missiles.