South Korea’s presidential office has strongly criticized North Korea for launching over 10 short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday. The office has directed the military to remain fully prepared while conducting joint exercises with the United States. An emergency security meeting was called by the presidential office with officials from the Defence Ministry and military authorities following the missile launches from Pyongyang towards the east of the Korean Peninsula.
The South Korean government has labeled the ballistic missile launch as a serious breach of UN Security Council resolutions, urging North Korea to cease such actions immediately. Officials have assessed South Korea’s response posture, evaluated the security implications of the missile launches, and deliberated on necessary measures in light of the situation.
According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the missiles flew approximately 300 kilometers towards the sea. The missile launch took place a day after the South Korean and U.S. militaries announced a reduction in their 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, scheduled to conclude by the end of Friday.
President Donald Trump instructed the Pentagon to significantly decrease the exercise just before it commenced, citing a positive relationship with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea’s non-participation in the U.S. conflict with Iran. Trump disclosed that North Korea possesses 57 formidable nuclear weapons, a figure he mentioned for the first time, while South Korean officials estimate the number to be between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads.
Kim Yo Jong, the spokesperson for North Korea’s regime and Kim Jong Un’s sister, rebuffed Trump’s gesture, emphasizing that the nature of the drills remains provocative and aggressive despite their reduced duration and scale. She highlighted the continued military drills by the U.S. and South Korea, along with South Korea’s efforts to introduce nuclear-powered submarines.
A professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, Yang Moo-jin, suggested that the missile launch aimed to emphasize the seriousness of Kim Yo Jong’s earlier warning. He mentioned that the launch likely served various purposes, including opposition to the South Korea-U.S. military exercises, displeasure over discussions on North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, and a caution to external powers against speculating on Pyongyang’s security matters.
The missile appeared to have landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone in the sea, as reported by NHK. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during his visit to Seoul, urged South Korea to maintain neutrality between Beijing and Washington, advocating for a peaceful coexistence between South Korea and North Korea. The strengthening ties between China and North Korea were evident with meetings between Kim and Xi Jinping in the past year.