- On Thursday, North Korea launched about 10 short-range ballistic missiles from the capital region toward the sea, with the missiles flying about 300 kilometers (185 miles) each.
- Kim Yo Jong dismissed Trump's overture, stating that the 'provocative, aggressive nature of the drills won't change even though their duration and size were reduced.'
- South Korea's presidential national security council issued a statement urging North Korea to halt ballistic missile launches.
- The Japanese prime minister's office detected a suspected missile launch and reported that it had already fallen.
- Before this month's drills started, North Korea accused the U.S. and South Korea of plotting more provocative exercises and vowed to respond.
- Days before the drills' start, North Korea fired two ballistic missiles into the sea in its first such launches since late June.
- On Wednesday, the South Korean and U.S. militaries confirmed they shortened the drills by about half and canceled some field training exercises.
North Korea fired approximately 10 short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday, as the U.S. and South Korea concluded their Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises. The missiles, launched from the Pyongyang area, flew about 300 kilometers (185 miles) toward the eastern waters, prompting South Korea to enhance its surveillance and coordination with the U.S. and Japan.123
The missile launches occurred shortly after President Trump expressed a desire to rekindle nuclear talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump stated, “Yeah, I will be”“provocative, aggressive nature of the drills won’t change” despite their reduction in size.45
The South Korean presidential office condemned the missile launches, labeling them a “grave act that violates U.N. Security Council resolutions”. South Korea's defense minister noted that the missiles are believed to be 600 mm multiple rocket launchers, capable of delivering tactical nuclear warheads. Estimates suggest North Korea possesses between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, raising concerns about its military capabilities amid ongoing tensions.
The U.S. and South Korea had shortened their military drills, which are seen as crucial for joint defense against North Korean aggression. Trump’s scaling back of these exercises has raised alarms among Asian allies, who speculate it may be an attempt to secure a foreign policy win amid a stalemate with North Korea.
“The launch came after Kim Yo Jong dismissed Trump's overture, saying the 'provocative, aggressive nature of the drills won't change even though their duration and size were reduced.' South Korea's defense minister said the missiles are believed to be 600 mm multiple rocket launchers, which North Korea has described as capable of delivering tactical nuclear warheads.”
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