North Korea launches first ballistic missiles since Trump took office
Photo: Kim Jong Un tests missiles again (Getty Images)
North Korea has launched several ballistic missiles off the country's west coast. Pyongyang shows no signs of abandoning missile tests after Donald Trump's return to power, reports Bloomberg.
According to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, at least two missiles were launched from Hwanghae Province in western North Korea. Other details, including the exact number of missiles launched, are not yet available. According to Yonhap News, the missiles were most likely short-range ballistic missiles.
The first ballistic missile launch after Trump's inauguration came just hours after North Korea expressed outrage at the joint annual military exercises between the United States and South Korea that began on March 10, calling them a rehearsal for war.
South Korea's military said it had stepped up monitoring and maintained readiness in close cooperation with the United States. Pyongyang usually does not comment on its missile launches until the next day.
Seoul said that the US-South Korea Freedom Shield 25 exercise will run until March 20, given North Korea's deepening military cooperation with Russia. The drills are the first since Trump returned to the White House, and they come at a time when North Korea is threatening to strengthen its nuclear capabilities.
Pyongyang has already launched a series of missiles this year. On February 26, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watched the launch of a strategic cruise missile. Earlier, on January 6, North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile, calling it a test of a new hypersonic missile designed to keep rivals in the Pacific region in check.
During his first term, Trump announced the suspension or reduction of some major US-South Korean military exercises after beginning personal talks with Kim. Although these discussions ultimately failed, Trump has demonstrated a willingness to resume talks during his second term.
Kim said a few days after Trump's inauguration that confrontation with hostile countries was “inevitable” and called for an increase in the country's nuclear capabilities.
The launch also came amid prolonged political uncertainty in Seoul following President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law in December and his subsequent impeachment.
Many of the missiles tested in recent years belonged to the group Hwasong-11, a family of short-range ballistic missiles that can carry heavy payloads, including nuclear warheads. The US and South Korea have accused Kim of sending dozens of such missiles to Russia to help Vladimir Putin in his war against Ukraine.
Kim has become a key ally of Putin in his war against Ukraine while raising concerns about North Korea's ability to strengthen its military and maintain its regime with Russian support.
Last month, South Korea's intelligence agency said that North Korea had likely sent additional troops to Russia to support Putin's army after having already sent thousands of soldiers there last year.
