South Korea’s presidential office strongly criticized North Korea’s firing of over 10 short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday and directed its military to stay prepared during the joint exercises with the United States. Following the missile launches from the Pyongyang region towards the eastern sea of the Korean Peninsula, an emergency security meeting was held by the presidential office with officials from the Defence Ministry and military authorities. The office denounced the missile launch as a serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions, urging North Korea to cease such actions promptly.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the missiles traveled approximately 300 kilometers towards the sea. The missile test occurred after the South Korean and U.S. armed forces announced a reduction in their 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which were scheduled to conclude by the end of Friday. U.S. President Donald Trump had ordered a significant decrease in the exercise just before it started, citing his positive relationship with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea’s non-participation in U.S. actions concerning Iran.
In response to Trump’s claims regarding the number of North Korea’s nuclear weapons, Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s sister and a spokesperson for the regime, rebuffed Trump’s statements and criticized the reduction in military drills between the U.S. and South Korea. Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, interpreted the missile launch as a strategic move to signal opposition to the joint military exercises, express discontent over discussions on North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, and caution external powers against meddling in Pyongyang’s security affairs.
The missile launch is seen as a demonstration of North Korea’s autonomy in handling its security matters, according to Yang. Trump’s previous confrontations with North Korea over missile tests contrast with his subsequent diplomatic engagements with Kim, which did not lead to significant progress. The ongoing debate over the cost-sharing agreement for U.S. troops stationed in South Korea has been a point of contention, with Trump emphasizing the need for increased contributions from Seoul. Meanwhile, Japan reported North Korea’s launch of a ballistic missile towards the sea, which landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during his visit to Seoul, encouraged South Korea to remain neutral between Beijing and Washington and advocated for the U.S. to adopt a less hostile stance towards North Korea. Wang highlighted China’s support for peaceful coexistence between South Korea and North Korea, emphasizing the strengthening ties between China and North Korea through recent high-level meetings between Kim and Xi Jinping.