North Korea Fires Unidentified Projectile Towards Sea Of Japan, Says South Korea
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
North Korea fired an unidentified projectile towards the Sea of Japan on Saturday, South Korea’s defence ministry said, as tensions remain high over Pyongyang’s weapons programme and joint military exercises between Seoul and Washington.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) detected the launch towards the body of water known in South Korea as the East Sea, but did not immediately provide details about the projectile or its flight path.
North Korea Has Repeatedly Launched Missiles
The latest launch follows a barrage of missiles fired by North Korea into the sea on August 20.
That launch came despite US President Donald Trump saying he intended to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year in an effort to revive the relationship he said he had established with Kim during his first term.
The August launches also took place while South Korea and the United States were conducting a shortened version of their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises.
Trump Had Called For Talks With Kim
Trump said on August 19 that he planned to meet Kim this year and stressed the importance of the two countries being able to “get along”.
The US president also claimed that North Korea currently had 57 nuclear weapons, an unusually specific figure for a classified matter. South Korea estimates that Pyongyang possesses around 80 to 120 nuclear weapons.
Hours after Trump’s remarks, North Korea launched more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang area towards the Sea of Japan, according to the South Korean military.
Kim Yo Jong Criticises US-South Korea Drills
Following the August missile launches, Kim Yo Jong, the sister of Kim Jong Un and a senior North Korean official, criticised Washington and Seoul over the military exercises.
She described the US decision to scale back the drills as a “disaster” and argued that South Korea’s security relationship with the United States reflected a “master-and-servant” dynamic.
North Korea has repeatedly condemned joint US-South Korea military exercises, describing them as rehearsals for an invasion. Pyongyang has frequently conducted missile tests around the time of such drills.
The latest projectile launch is expected to draw further scrutiny as Washington seeks to reopen dialogue with Pyongyang while North Korea continues to expand its military capabilities.
