North Korea fires missiles after Kamala Harris leaves South Korea

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea’s missile launch during a news programme at the Seoul Railway Station (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday, hours after US vice president Kamala Harris flew home from a visit to South Korea during which she emphasised the “ironclad” US commitment to the security of its Asian allies.

It was the third round of missile launches by North Korea this week, extending a record pace in weapons testing as it accelerates a push to expand its arsenal and pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power.