North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile After Kim Yo Jong Rejects Seoul’s DMZ Apology Demand
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Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
North Korea fired at least one ballistic missile towards the East Sea early Saturday, South Korea's military said, hours after Kim Yo Jong rejected Seoul's demand for an apology over a landmine blast in the Demilitarised Zone that injured three South Korean soldiers.
The missile was launched from the Wonsan area, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
The latest launch has added to tensions on the Korean Peninsula, with Seoul and Pyongyang already trading accusations over the DMZ explosion.
Missile Launch Comes After Kim Yo Jong Dismisses Seoul
South Korea's military said its forces, together with the United States and Japan, were maintaining a “robust defence posture” through close information sharing following the ballistic missile launch.
The launch came shortly after Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, rejected Seoul's demand that Pyongyang apologise for the DMZ blast.
Kim described South Korea as “despicable” and dismissed Seoul's proposal for border talks as a “wild dream and unilateral jargon”.
Her remarks came after South Korea's military demanded an official apology from North Korea over the landmine explosion that wounded three South Korean soldiers last month.
Seoul Blames North Korean Mines For DMZ Blast
The explosion occurred inside the Demilitarised Zone, the heavily mined buffer separating North and South Korea.
South Korea and the US-led United Nations Command said an investigation concluded that the blast was caused by North Korean mines laid on the South Korean side of the border.
South Korean Defence Minister Kang Shin-chul said the mines were believed to have been planted as part of North Korea's efforts to reinforce its frontier.
Pyongyang has denied responsibility for the explosion.
In a separate report carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, Kim Yo Jong said it was “quite ridiculous” for Seoul to demand an apology.
She also mocked South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's efforts to improve relations, describing his latest outreach as “the climax of the farce that everyone should watch”.
Seoul Continues To Push For Dialogue
Despite the rising tensions, President Lee on Thursday urged Pyongyang to return to dialogue.
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young followed that call on Friday by proposing talks with North Korea to address issues along the border.
The latest North Korean missile launch came against the backdrop of Pyongyang's increasing efforts to strengthen its border with South Korea.
North Korea has been laying mines and constructing anti-tank barriers along the frontier.
The measures followed Kim Jong Un's 2024 designation of South Korea as his country's “principal enemy”.
Trump’s North Korea Overtures Add Another Layer
The latest flare-up also comes as US President Donald Trump has made recent overtures towards Pyongyang.
Those efforts have raised concerns in Seoul that South Korea could be sidelined if Washington and Pyongyang resume negotiations over North Korea's nuclear programme.
North Korea maintains close ties with Russia and China, adding another dimension to the security situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula.
South Korean Opposition Attacks Lee Government
South Korea's opposition People Power Party has accused President Lee's government of failing to criticise North Korea strongly enough.
“South Korean soldiers have been injured, and far from receiving an apology, we have been mocked by North Korea,” the party said.
“We fail to see how selectively turning a blind eye to North Korea serves South Korea's dignity or the safety of its people,” it added.
The ballistic missile launch, meanwhile, has placed renewed focus on the escalating military tensions along the inter-Korean border, even as Seoul continues to call for dialogue.
