North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. Photo: Reuters

On Sunday North Korea launched several short-range missiles into the sea off Japan, just one day after Pyongyang conducted three similar launches. The South Korean and US armies were both put on alert for another middle-range missile launch by North Korea. The South Korean Ministry of Unification criticized the launches as a “provocation” that threatens regional security and asked Pyongyang to “immediately end” such moves. The US State Department urged Pyongyang to remain calm and made no comment about the launches. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon also urged Pyongyang to ease tensions and ease such moves. Ban stressed that now is the time for Pyongyang to return to the six-party talks on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.