North Korea fires missiles into sea as U.S. defense chief visits region

[nitpicker]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/09/us-northkorea-missiles-idUSKBN0N008D20150409

North Korea fires missiles into sea as U.S. defense chief visits region

OSAN, South Korea | By David Brunnstrom

(Reuters) - North Korea has fired two surface-to-air missiles off its west coast, South Korea said on Thursday, with the latest in a string of short-range firings by the North coming shortly before the U.S. defense secretary arrived in the region.

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A senior U.S. official described the missile test as a provocative act ahead of Carter's visit. "Their missile inventory is growing and their willingness to test those missiles appears to be growing as we've just seen today," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

U.S. military officials have said a sophisticated air defense system is needed in South Korea to counter the North's missile threat, although Washington has not made a formal proposal for deploying THAAD and it is not officially on the agenda for Carter's visit.
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