North Korea Fires 10 Ballistic Missiles After US Scales Back South Korea Drills

North Korea fired a barrage of short-range ballistic missiles towards the sea on Thursday, South Korean and Japanese authorities said, in a fresh show of force coming just a day after Pyongyang dismissed Washington’s decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea.

South Korea’s military said about 10 missiles were launched from the Pyongyang area towards the country’s eastern waters. The missiles travelled approximately 300 kilometres before falling into the sea, according to South Korean officials.

Japan also confirmed the launch, with its authorities saying the projectile or projectiles landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

The launch occurred while the United States and South Korea were conducting their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises, which Washington has reduced in an apparent attempt to create space for renewed diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

US President Donald Trump ordered the US participation in the exercises to be substantially reduced and has indicated that he wants to revive diplomatic engagement with Pyongyang. The drills, which began earlier this week, are now scheduled to end on Friday, six days earlier than originally planned.

North Korea, however, rejected the move as insufficient.

Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and a senior government official, criticised the continued military exercises on Wednesday, arguing that the reduction did not represent a fundamental change in US policy towards Pyongyang.

Despite the criticism, Kim Yo Jong acknowledged that relations between her brother and Trump remained positive, leaving open the possibility of future diplomatic engagement.

Trump has said he hopes to meet Kim again later this year, raising the prospect of another high-level summit between Washington and Pyongyang.

The latest missile launches nevertheless underline the difficulty of reviving negotiations over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes.

South Korea’s presidential office convened an emergency security meeting following Thursday’s launches and ordered the military to maintain full readiness while the joint exercises continue.

The United States and South Korea have consistently described their joint military exercises as defensive preparations, while North Korea regards them as rehearsals for an invasion and has frequently responded with weapons tests and threats.

Thursday’s launches also came amid a wider effort by Seoul and Washington to balance military readiness with attempts to reopen diplomatic channels with Pyongyang.

The missile barrage therefore presents a mixed signal: while North Korea continues to reject what it sees as hostile US military policy, its leadership has also suggested that personal ties with Trump remain intact.

For now, tensions on the Korean Peninsula remain high as the US-South Korea drills approach their conclusion and Washington weighs further diplomatic overtures to Pyongyang.