North Korea launched multiple short-range ballistic missiles off its eastern coast on Tuesday, according to South Korea’s military. This act of aggression comes just days before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s return to office.
The missiles, launched around 9:30 a.m. (0030 GMT) from Kanggye in Jagang Province near the Chinese border, traveled approximately 250 km (155 miles), the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported.
The JCS condemned the launch as a significant provocation threatening peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, warning North Korea against misjudging the situation and pledging a strong response to any further actions. Acting South Korean President Choi Sang-mok also criticized the launch as a breach of United Nations Security Council resolutions, promising firm retaliation.
South Korea’s presidential office convened a national security council meeting, vowing to maintain a robust defense posture.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command also denounced the test, urging North Korea to avoid further destabilizing actions, while Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi affirmed close coordination with Washington and Seoul, including real-time missile warning data sharing.
The missile launch followed North Korea’s recent test of a claimed intermediate-range hypersonic missile and coincided with a visit to Seoul by Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya.
During his visit, Iwaya and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul condemned North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and committed to strengthening security ties.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, also in Seoul last week, emphasized the importance of trilateral cooperation between the U.S., South Korea, and Japan to counter Pyongyang’s increasing military threats.
The timing of the launch appears strategic, occurring shortly before Trump’s inauguration.
During his first term, Trump held historic summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, emphasizing their personal relationship.
South Korean lawmakers, following a briefing by the National Intelligence Service, suggested the recent tests were aimed at showcasing North Korea’s military capabilities and drawing Trump’s attention after threatening the “toughest anti-U.S. counteraction” at a policy meeting late last year.
