South Korea’s presidential office has strongly criticized North Korea’s recent launch of over 10 short-range ballistic missiles and has instructed its military to remain on high alert during the ongoing joint military exercises with the United States. The presidential office held an emergency security meeting with officials from the Defence Ministry and military authorities following North Korea’s missile launches towards the east of the Korean Peninsula. Describing the ballistic missile launch as a serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions, South Korea has called on North Korea to immediately cease such provocative actions.
The missiles were launched from the Pyongyang area and flew approximately 300 kilometers towards the sea, as reported by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. This missile activity occurred shortly after the announcement of the scaling back of the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises by South Korea and the U.S., which were set to conclude by the end of Friday. U.S. President Donald Trump had ordered the reduction of these exercises, citing a positive relationship with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea’s stance on the U.S.’s actions in Iran.
In response to Trump’s actions, Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s sister and a prominent spokesperson for the regime, dismissed the gestures as insufficient and reiterated North Korea’s discontent with military drills conducted by the U.S. and South Korea. Analysts believe that the recent missile launch from North Korea serves multiple purposes, including expressing opposition to the joint military exercises and deterring speculation about North Korea’s security affairs from external powers.
Despite previous tensions and threats exchanged between Trump and North Korea, including Trump’s “fire and fury” warning, there have been subsequent diplomatic engagements between the two leaders. The cost-sharing agreement between the U.S. and South Korea for the maintenance of American troops has been a point of contention, with Trump arguing that South Korea should contribute more financially.
Additionally, Japan has reported that North Korea launched a ballistic missile towards the sea, with the projectile falling outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during his visit to Seoul, encouraged South Korea to maintain a neutral position between China and the U.S. and advocated for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula. Recent meetings between Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping indicate a strengthening of ties between China and North Korea.