South Korea’s presidential office has strongly condemned North Korea’s recent launch of over 10 short-range ballistic missiles and has instructed its military to remain fully prepared during the ongoing joint military exercises with the United States. Following the missile launches from the Pyongyang area towards the east of the Korean Peninsula, an emergency security meeting was convened by the presidential office with officials from the Defence Ministry and military authorities in attendance. The statement issued by the office called the ballistic missile launch a serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions and urged North Korea to cease such actions immediately.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the missiles traveled approximately 300 kilometers towards the sea. This incident occurred shortly after the South Korean and U.S. militaries announced a reduction in their 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, with U.S. President Donald Trump ordering a substantial decrease in the exercises citing a positive relationship with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea’s non-participation in U.S. actions in Iran. Trump also mentioned that North Korea possesses 57 potent nuclear weapons, a number he cited for the first time, while South Korean officials estimate the count to be between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads.
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of Kim Jong Un, rejected Trump’s outreach, emphasizing that despite the reduction in the duration and size of military drills, the provocative nature of the exercises persists. She criticized the U.S. and South Korea for previous military drills and South Korea’s plans to introduce nuclear-powered submarines. Kim Yo Jong clarified that while personal relations between her brother and Trump remain strong, there was no response from Kim regarding Trump’s request for a conversation.
An expert from the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, Yang Moo-jin, suggested that North Korea’s missile launch was intended to underscore previous warnings and convey messages related to security matters and external speculations. The launch may also serve as a test for enhanced missile systems. The history of Trump’s interactions with North Korea, including threats of “fire and fury” in 2017 and subsequent meetings with Kim, without significant diplomatic progress, was highlighted. Trump’s scrutiny of the cost of maintaining U.S. troops in South Korea and his ongoing insistence on increased contributions from South Korea were also mentioned.
Additionally, Japan’s government and coast guard reported a ballistic missile launch by North Korea towards the sea, with the projectile falling outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. During a visit to Seoul, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi encouraged South Korea to maintain neutrality between China and the U.S. and emphasized the need for the U.S. to adopt a non-hostile approach towards North Korea. Wang expressed support for peaceful coexistence between South Korea and North Korea and highlighted the recent strengthening of ties between China and North Korea through meetings between Kim and Xi Jinping.