Pyongyang fires missiles hours after Trump signals summit intent
North Korea launched approximately 10 short-range ballistic missiles towards the sea on Thursday, a move that coincided with US President Donald Trump’s announcement of plans to meet Kim Jong Un later this year.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that North Korea fired around 10 short-range ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang area towards the sea on Thursday. The launch was detected by Japanese authorities, including the Prime Minister’s office and the Coast Guard, which identified the incident as a suspected launch.
The missile activity occurred just hours after US President Donald Trump stated his intention to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later in the year. Trump’s announcement was made on Wednesday, during which he also addressed the ongoing US-South Korea military drills.
Trump characterised the joint exercises as "inappropriate and hostile," noting that they were costly and sent a signal contrary to the respectful relationship he claimed existed with Pyongyang. He ordered a significant reduction in US participation in these drills, which are scheduled to conclude on Friday.
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of Kim Jong Un, dismissed the US President’s announcement. She stated that the provocative and aggressive nature of the drills would remain unchanged despite the reductions in their duration and size.
Kim Yo Jong further warned that if the United States attempted to frame its recent measures as an act of good faith, it would not receive the desired response from Pyongyang. This statement underscores the continued tension surrounding the military exercises.
Pyongyang has historically denounced US-South Korea joint exercises as rehearsals for invasion, frequently responding to such drills with missile launches. The recent launch follows this established pattern of reaction to the ongoing military activities in the region.
