South Korea’s presidential office has strongly criticized North Korea for launching over 10 short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday. The office has directed its military to stay fully prepared during ongoing joint exercises with the United States. Following the missile launches from the Pyongyang region towards the east of the Korean Peninsula, an emergency security meeting was held with officials from the Defence Ministry and military authorities in attendance.
The ballistic missile launch has been condemned as a serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions by the South Korean presidential office. They have urged North Korea to immediately cease such provocative actions. In response to the launches, officials assessed South Korea’s response readiness, evaluated the security implications, and deliberated on necessary actions.
The missiles traveled approximately 300 kilometers towards the sea, as reported by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. This missile activity occurred after South Korea and the U.S. announced a reduction in their 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which are scheduled to conclude by the end of Friday.
U.S. President Donald Trump has instructed the Pentagon to significantly scale back the military exercise, citing his positive relationship with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea’s non-support for the U.S. in its conflict with Iran. Trump confirmed that he plans to meet with Kim this year and mentioned that North Korea possesses 57 potent nuclear weapons, a figure he disclosed for the first time.
Kim Yo Jong, the spokesperson for the North Korean regime and Kim Jong Un’s sister, dismissed Trump’s gestures, emphasizing that reducing the duration and size of military drills does not alter their provocative nature. She highlighted previous military exercises conducted by the U.S. and South Korea this year and South Korea’s efforts to introduce nuclear-powered submarines.
An expert at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, Yang Moo-jin, stated that the missile launch was likely intended to underscore warnings issued by Kim Yo Jong the day before. He suggested that the launch served various purposes, including opposition to South Korea-U.S. military exercises and a message to outside powers regarding North Korea’s security affairs.
Addressing Trump’s past reactions to North Korean missile tests, which included threats of “fire and fury,” it was noted that despite three subsequent meetings between Trump and Kim, there were no significant diplomatic breakthroughs. Trump has frequently questioned the cost of maintaining U.S. troops in South Korea and argued that Seoul should contribute more.
Japan reported that North Korea may have launched a ballistic missile towards the sea on Thursday, indicating that the projectile had already landed. The missile reportedly fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. During a visit to Seoul, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi encouraged South Korea to maintain a neutral stance between Beijing and Washington, advocating for a peaceful coexistence between the two Koreas.
China and North Korea have demonstrated strengthened ties, with Kim and Xi Jinping meeting twice in the past year, signaling a closer relationship between the two countries.
