North Korea confirmed on Thursday that it has tested missiles,
calling them routine military drills aimed at strengthening the
country's defense.
A North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement
that the country would continue to launch missiles, the official
Korean Central News Agency reported.
The statement said the missile launches were "successful" and
had shown "strengthened self-defense force."
The missile launches have nothing to do with the six-party talks
on the Korean peninsula nuclear issue, it said.
"The successful launch of missiles this time was part of our
normal self-defense capabilities," said the statement, adding that
North Korea would continue to conduct missile tests and exercises
as part of stepping up its self-defense forces.
North Korea reportedly launched seven missiles on Wednesday
morning.
(Xinhua News Agency July 6, 2006)
