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DPRK missiles travelled for 500 km with maximum altitude of 150 km — statement

Tokyo expressed its protest to North Korea via diplomatic channels in Beijing

TOKYO, November 3. /TASS/. The three ballistic missiles, launched by North Korea Thursday, travelled for 500 km each with the maximum flight altitude of 150 km, Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada told reporters.

"After 21:00 [local time] today, North Korea launched three ballistic missiles from its internal region eastward," he said.

According to the minister, the missiles were launched several minutes apart and travelled for "about 500 km with the maximum altitude of 150 km," falling into the Sea of Japan outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

Tokyo expressed its protest to North Korea via diplomatic channels in Beijing, Hamada said.

Therefore, DPRK launched six ballistic missiles Thursday, one of them believed to be an inter-continental one.

North Korea has recently ramped up its missile launches amid the wide-scale Vigilant Storm US-South Korean military exercise involving about 240 planes. After another North Korean missile launch, Washington and Seoul decided to prolong the exercise that was supposed to en on November 4.

In response, Pyongyang called this decision dangerous, promising to Washington and Seoul that they will learn that "they have committed an irreversible mistake".