North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday, according to Seoul’s military, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to meet with Kim Jong Un later this year.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday, President Trump expressed a desire to revive his relationship with the North Korean leader, emphasizing the importance of “getting along” with Kim. Trump claimed Pyongyang possesses 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons, though Seoul estimates the arsenal is between 80 and 120.
Following Trump’s remarks, North Korea launched more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea at approximately 5:00 p.m. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported the missiles flew roughly 300 kilometers, adding that South Korean and U.S. authorities are conducting a detailed analysis of the launch parameters.
South Korea’s presidential office convened an emergency security meeting, condemning the test as a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and ordering heightened military readiness.
The launches coincided with the scaled-back U.S.-South Korea “Ulchi Freedom Shield” joint military exercises. Seoul confirmed the drills were shortened by approximately a week at the request of the U.S. side. The Pentagon stated the reduced schedule would not degrade U.S. training objectives, which aim to prepare for a potential attack by the North. Pyongyang has long criticized these joint exercises as invasion rehearsals.
Trump’s shift toward diplomacy and the reduction of joint military exercises have drawn concern from Asian allies while sparking speculation regarding his broader foreign policy agenda.
Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, stated on Wednesday that her brother maintains “good memories and feelings” about Trump, describing their relationship as “excellent.” However, she noted she was unaware of any active communication between the two leaders.
In response to the developments, South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back reaffirmed that Seoul opposes officially recognizing North Korea as a nuclear-weapon state and expressed confidence that Washington has not abandoned its goal of denuclearization. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung affirmed he would support peacemaking efforts with the North while continuing to bolster homegrown defense capabilities.
(c) AFP
