North Korea Fires 10 Ballistic Missiles Amid US–South Korea Drills

AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

North Korea fired more than ten ballistic missiles into the sea on Saturday, South Korea’s military reported, as U.S. and South Korean forces conducted joint military exercises and U.S. President Donald Trump renewed efforts to engage Pyongyang in dialogue.

Japan’s coast guard detected what could be a ballistic missile falling into the sea. Public broadcaster NHK reported that it appeared to have landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the missiles were launched from an area near the capital, Pyongyang, at around 1:20 p.m. local time (0430 GMT), towards the sea off the country’s east coast.

North Korea has been test-launching a wide range of ballistic and cruise missiles for more than two decades in its pursuit of the capability to deliver nuclear weapons, which it is believed to have successfully developed.

The country has been subject to multiple U.N. Security Council sanctions since 2006, yet Pyongyang remains defiant despite the severe economic, trade, and defence restrictions imposed.

This week, South Korea and Washington launched their annual major drills on South Korean soil, which officials describe as purely defensive, aimed at testing readiness against potential threats from the North.

Hundreds of U.S. and South Korean troops took part in river-crossing exercises on Saturday, employing tanks and armoured combat vehicles under the supervision of the commander of their combined forces. The U.S. maintains approximately 28,500 troops in South Korea, along with squadrons of fighter jets.

North Korea routinely criticises such exercises, labelling them as “dress rehearsals” for potential armed aggression against it by the allied forces.

On Thursday, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met U.S. President Trump in Washington to discuss ways to reopen dialogue with North Korea. President Trump has expressed eagerness for any opportunity to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Kim told reporters.

Source: Reuters



PUKMEDIA