North Korea fires more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday, launching from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff says the missiles fly roughly 300 kilometers. Seoul condemns the launches as violations of UN Security Council resolutions and holds an emergency security meeting to raise readiness.
The timing closely follows US President Donald Trump’s public signal that he plans to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year. Reports also link the missile tests to scaled-down US–South Korea military drills, with Ulchi Freedom Shield shortened at Washington’s suggestion. North Korea typically views such exercises as preparation for invasion and responds with weapons testing.
Across coverage, the focus also extends to diplomacy and deterrence. Trump says it is important to “get along” with Kim and makes claims about North Korea’s nuclear stockpile. South Korean officials emphasize opposition to formally recognizing the North as a nuclear state and stress strengthening defense capabilities, while the US says the reduced drills do not change its training objectives. The US maintains about 28,500 troops in South Korea under Cold War-era arrangements after the 1953 armistice.
