North Korea fired more than ten ballistic missiles into the sea on Saturday, according to the military of South Korea, in a fresh show of force as joint military drills with the United States continued and diplomatic overtures toward Pyongyang resurfaced.
The launches came amid large-scale exercises involving U.S. and South Korean forces, while U.S. President Donald Trump renewed calls for dialogue with the North.
Japan Coast Guard said it had detected what appeared to be a ballistic missile that landed in the sea. According to public broadcaster NHK, the projectile fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were launched at around 1:20 p.m. local time from an area near the capital, Pyongyang, heading toward waters off the country’s east coast.
Pyongyang has conducted missile tests for more than two decades as part of efforts to develop delivery systems for nuclear weapons, which it is believed to have successfully produced. The programme has placed the country under multiple sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council since 2006, though the government has remained defiant despite the economic and trade restrictions.
Meanwhile, South Korea and the United States this week began their annual joint military exercises, describing them as defensive drills designed to test readiness against potential threats from the North.
On Saturday, hundreds of U.S. and South Korean troops carried out river-crossing exercises using tanks and armoured combat vehicles under the supervision of the allies’ combined forces command. The United States maintains around 28,500 troops in South Korea along with fighter jet squadrons.
North Korea has repeatedly condemned such drills, calling them “dress rehearsals” for an invasion.
Amid the tensions, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met President Trump in Washington on Thursday to discuss efforts to revive dialogue with Pyongyang. According to the South Korean leader, Trump remains keen to hold talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Source: Reuters
