North Korea test-fired three short-range missiles this week off its east coast, dpa quoted South Korea as saying Friday. A spokesman for the Defence Ministry in Seoul confirmed a Japanese newspaper report that the missiles were fired Wednesday. "Our military knows about it," he said. The missiles were believed to be KN-02 ground-to-ground missiles and the tests were believed to be aimed at improving North Korea's rocket technology, the Shankei Shimbun reported, citing Japanese government officials. The range of the KN-02 is believed to be 120 kilometres. North Korea regularly tests short-range missiles. According to South Korea, its latest launches before this week were two rockets fired December 19, the day it also announced the death of its leader Kim Jong Il. It was unclear whether the tests were part of wider manoeuvres by the North Korean army.
