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An image of North Korea conducting consecutive projectile launches from a super-large multiple rocket launcher, under on-site guidance from leader Kim Jong-un, released by the Korean Central News Agency on Nov. 29. (Yonhap News)

North Korea fired two short-range projectiles believed to be from a super-large multiple rocket launcher toward the East Sea on Nov. 28, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) headquarters announced. The projectiles were determined to have been launched around 30 seconds apart. The launches appear to indicate that North Korea has finally achieved the ability to fire projectiles in succession from its super-large multiple rocket launcher.

“At approximately 4:59 pm today, our military detected that North Korea had launched two short-range projectiles believed to be from a super-large multiple rocket launcher from the area of Yonpo, South Hamgyong Province, toward the East Sea,” the JCS said.

“The maximum range of the projectiles was approximately 380km, with altitudes detected in the range of around 97km,” it added. The JCS said the launches were determined to have occurred roughly 30 seconds apart.

The latest launches came 28 days after North Korea conducted consecutive launches with its super-large multiple rocket launcher in the vicinity of Sunchon, South Pyongan Province, on Oct. 31. It was the fourth launch with the super-large multiple rocket launcher alone -- suggesting that North Korea has continued to carry out test launches in order to improve its consecutive launch capabilities. The intervals between super-large multiple rocket launcher launches has dropped from 17 minutes on Aug. 24 and 19 minutes on Sept. 10 to three minutes on Oct. 31 and just over 30 seconds with the latest testing.

So far this year, North Korea has conducted a total of 13 launches involving four types of projectiles: a new tactical guided weapon, a new large-caliber multiple launch guided rocket system, an unidentified “new weapon,” and the super-large multiple rocket launcher. On Nov. 30, it fired coastal artillery from Changrin Islet (near Baengnyeong Island) in violation of the Comprehensive Military Agreement concluded on Sept. 19, 2018, which prohibited coastal artillery fire in the West Sea buffer zone.

The JCS expressed strong dismay, stating that “this latest act by North Korea is not helpful for efforts to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula.”

“We urge [North Korea] to immediately cease actions that raise military tensions,” it said.

By Yoo Kang-moon, senior staff writer

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