North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile toward the sea on Sunday, South Korea's government said. The launch comes as North Korea is engaging in a run of weapons tests even after U.S. President Donald Trump recently scaled back a military exercise with South Korea in an apparent effort to revive diplomacy with leader Kim Jong Un. The missile was fired from the eastern coastal Wonsan area of North Korea.
South Korea's presidential office said an emergency meeting of the national security council was held to discuss the launch. The meeting was likely attended by top officials, including the country's president and national security adviser. The launch is the latest in a recent series of weapons displays by North Korea, which has been testing various types of missiles and artillery in recent months.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff earlier said North Korea launched an unidentified projectile off the North's east coast but gave no further details. The launch comes after a series of military drills conducted by North Korea, including a joint live-fire drill involving missiles, artillery, and drones that it claimed demonstrated "huge destructive power." The test included firing different types of weapons simultaneously.
The Sept. 12 weapons tests came a day after the United States, South Korea, and Japan wrapped their five-day trilateral military drill that North Korea views as a provocation. North Korea has been focusing on expanding its nuclear arsenal after its earlier high-stakes diplomacy with Trump collapsed in 2019. The country has been testing various types of missiles and artillery in recent months.
Kim Jong Un's sister and senior official, Kim Yo Jong, shrugged off Trump's overture to revive diplomacy, saying that shortening the drill wouldn't change its "provocative, aggressive nature." North Korea's military later launched about 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea, apparently following through with a previous threat to respond to the U.S.-South Korean drill.
Trump last month ordered the Pentagon to "substantially reduce" the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise with South Korea, citing what he called a good relationship with Kim. However, Kim Yo Jong's statement suggests that North Korea may not be willing to compromise on its military activities. The development has raised concerns about the stability of the region.
The launch of the ballistic missile has raised tensions in the region, with South Korea and the United States closely monitoring the situation. The international community has been calling for North Korea to refrain from further provocations and engage in meaningful diplomacy. The situation remains volatile, with no clear resolution in sight.
Key points
- North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile toward the sea on Sunday.
- South Korea's national security council held an emergency meeting to discuss the launch.
- The launch comes as North Korea is engaging in a run of weapons tests despite efforts to revive diplomacy with the United States.
