South Korea’s presidential office has strongly criticized North Korea for launching over 10 short-range ballistic missiles and has instructed the military to remain fully prepared during ongoing joint exercises with the United States. Following the firing of the missiles from the Pyongyang area towards the east of the Korean Peninsula, an emergency security meeting was held by the presidential office, with officials from the Defence Ministry and military authorities in attendance.
Describing the ballistic missile launch as a serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions, the presidential office demanded that North Korea halt such actions immediately. South Korea’s response posture was reviewed, security implications of the launches were assessed, and necessary measures were discussed, as stated by the office.
According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the missiles traveled approximately 300 kilometers towards the sea. This missile barrage occurred after the South Korean and U.S. militaries announced a reduction in their 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which were set to conclude by the end of Friday. U.S. President Donald Trump had ordered a substantial reduction in the exercise just before it commenced on Monday, citing a positive relationship with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea’s non-participation in the U.S. actions in Iran.
Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s sister and a spokesperson for the regime, dismissed Trump’s gesture, emphasizing that the nature of the drills remained provocative and aggressive despite their reduction in duration and scale. She mentioned previous military drills by the U.S. and South Korea earlier in the year and South Korea’s plans to introduce nuclear-powered submarines.
Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, suggested that the missile launch was intended to emphasize the seriousness of previous warnings from Kim Yo Jong. He speculated that the launch served multiple purposes, including opposition to the South Korea-U.S. military exercises, dissatisfaction with discussions on North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, and a warning against speculation on Pyongyang’s security affairs.
Trump’s past reactions to North Korean missile tests were noted, along with his subsequent meetings with Kim, which did not lead to significant diplomatic breakthroughs. Trump has questioned the cost of maintaining U.S. troops in South Korea and has reiterated his stance that Seoul should contribute more financially. Despite the existing cost-sharing agreement, Trump argues that South Korea’s contributions are insufficient.
In a separate development, Japan’s government and coast guard reported that North Korea had 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 not to take sides between Beijing and Washington and called for the U.S. to change its policy towards North Korea for peaceful coexistence on the Korean peninsula.
