DPRK slams Japan's Abe, warning of 'real ballistic missile'

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea lashed out on Saturday at Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for mistaking Pyongyang's recent test-fire of its rocket launch system for a ballistic missile launch, and warned he may "see a real one in the near future".

Pyongyang announced on Friday that its "super-large" rocket launcher is in final review. The announcement came a day after the state Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA, confirmed that DPRK had fired two short-range projectiles into the East Sea. The Republic of Korea's military said both missiles flew around 380 kilometers at a maximum altitude of about 97 kilometers.

In the wake of Pyongyang's firing, Abe termed it a ballistic missile launch, calling it a grave challenge to Japan and the international community, and that Tokyo would monitor the situation with its partners.