North Korea Fires 10 Missiles Ahead of Military Drill Conclusion

North Korea launched around ten short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Thursday at 5:00 p.m., soon before the end of joint US-South Korean military drills. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) of South Korea, the missiles were shot from the Pyongyang area and travelled around 300 km. Seoul responded by sharing flight trajectory data with Washington and Tokyo, calling an emergency security conference, and reiterating complete military preparedness. South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back stated that the guns seemed to be North Korea’s updated 600mm super-large multiple rocket launcher system, which Pyongyang says is capable of delivering tactical nuclear weapons.

The South Korean presidential office condemned the launch as a blatant violation of UN Security Council resolutions and urged Pyongyang to immediately stop such provocative actions. The tests took place even though US President Donald Trump ordered the yearly ‘Ulchi Freedom Shield’ drill between the US and South Korea to be shortened from 11 days to five. Pyongyang, however, rejected the change. The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Kim Yo Jong, further denounced US policy as intrinsically hostile, claiming that cutting the drills’ time and breadth did not change their provocative and aggressive nature.

Pyongyang has not yet accepted President Trump’s renewed interest in meeting with Kim Jong Un. Although the two leaders’ personal ties are still positive, Kim Yo Jong affirmed that there hasn’t been any official communication. According to analysts, the missile test had two functions: it demonstrated North Korea’s military prowess and sent a message to Washington that it would not submit to external security pressure without making significant diplomatic concessions.