South Korea’s presidential office has strongly criticized North Korea’s launch of over 10 short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday and instructed the military to remain fully prepared during the joint exercises with the United States. An emergency security meeting was called by the presidential office, with officials from the Defence Ministry and military authorities in attendance, following the missile launches from the Pyongyang area towards the east of the Korean Peninsula. Describing the missile launch as a serious breach of UN Security Council resolutions, South Korea called on North Korea to cease such actions immediately. The office stated that officials evaluated South Korea’s response readiness, analyzed the security implications of the missile launches, and discussed necessary steps.
The missiles, launched towards the sea, traveled approximately 300 kilometers, as reported by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. The missile barrage occurred a day after the South Korean and U.S. militaries announced a reduction in their 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which were set to conclude by the end of Friday. President Donald Trump had directed the Pentagon to significantly scale back the exercise just before it commenced on Monday, citing a positive relationship with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea’s non-participation in the U.S. actions in Iran.
Responding to questions from reporters, Trump confirmed his intent to meet with Kim this year. Additionally, Trump mentioned that North Korea possesses 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons, marking the first time he disclosed this figure. South Korean officials estimate the number of nuclear warheads possessed by North Korea to be between 80 to 120.
Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s sister and a prominent spokesperson for the regime, rejected Trump’s gesture and criticized the reduced military drills, emphasizing that their provocative nature remains unchanged. She also highlighted previous military exercises conducted by the U.S. and South Korea and South Korea’s efforts to introduce nuclear-powered submarines. Despite acknowledging the strong personal relationship between her brother and Trump, Kim Yo Jong denied that Kim had responded to Trump’s request for a discussion.
An expert at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, Yang Moo-jin, interpreted the missile launch as a signal to underscore Kim Yo Jong’s earlier warning, indicating its seriousness. Yang suggested that the launch served various purposes, such as opposing the South Korea-U.S. military exercises, expressing discontent over discussions about North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, and cautioning external powers against speculation on Pyongyang’s security matters.
During Trump’s initial year in office in 2017, North Korean missile tests provoked strong reactions from him, leading to threats of “fire and fury” against the regime. Despite later meetings between Trump and Kim, no substantial diplomatic breakthrough was achieved. Trump has questioned the cost of maintaining U.S. troops in South Korea, emphasizing the importance of Seoul as an ally. The allies have a cost-sharing agreement until 2030, with South Korea contributing approximately 1.52 trillion won ($1.1 billion US) this year for the upkeep of American troops. However, Trump continues to argue that South Korea’s contribution is insufficient.
