North Korea launched three missiles on Wednesday, one of which was assumed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), after US President Joe Biden returned from Asia after agreeing to further measures to dissuade the nuclear-armed regime.

The three missiles were shot in less than an hour, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea, from the Sunan area of Pyongyang’s city, where its international airport has become a missile testing hotspot.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the first missile fired on Wednesday seemed to be an ICBM, while a second unidentified missile appeared to have failed mid-flight. According to the report, the third missile was a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM).

Both the US and South Korean forces responded by holding joint live-fire drills, including surface-to-surface missile tests employing the US Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and the South’s Hyunmoo-2 SRBM.

“Our military’s show of force was designed to demonstrate our will to strongly respond to any North Korean provocations, including an ICBM launch,” the JCS said in a statement.

North Korea has launched a flurry of missiles this year, ranging from hypersonic weaponry to the first test firing of its largest ICBMs in nearly five years. It also looks to be planning a nuclear test, which would be its first since 2017.

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