North Korea Fires 10 Missiles After US and South Korea Cut Military Drills

Missile Launches Follow Drill Cut

North Korea launched about 10 short-range ballistic missiles towards the sea on Thursday, South Korea's military said, one day after the United States and South Korea announced plans to reduce their joint military exercises.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were launched from the Pyongyang region at around 5pm local time towards waters off North Korea's eastern coast. South Korea said it had strengthened surveillance and was coordinating information about the launches with the United States and Japan.

Japan's prime minister's office also said it had detected a suspected missile launch.

The launches came at a sensitive moment for relations between North Korea, South Korea and the United States. Washington has recently attempted to create space for renewed diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, while Pyongyang has shown little enthusiasm for the latest American overture.

The missile launches serve as both a military demonstration and a message about North Korea's position before any future negotiations.

South Korea Calls for an End to Missile Tests

South Korea's presidential National Security Council held an emergency meeting following the launches. The council urged North Korea to stop conducting ballistic missile tests, which are prohibited under United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The missile launches came shortly after the United States and South Korea announced that they would reduce their 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise.

US President Donald Trump had ordered the Pentagon to substantially reduce the exercises before they began on Monday. The decision was presented as part of a broader effort to improve the atmosphere for possible discussions with Kim Jong-un.

Trump cited what he described as a good relationship with the North Korean leader. He also referred to South Korea's refusal to support the United States during the war against Iran.

The reduction in military exercises has created an unusual situation: Washington has offered a gesture intended to encourage dialogue, while Pyongyang has responded with another display of its missile capabilities.

Kim Yo-jong Rejects Trump's Overture

Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of Kim Jong-un, dismissed Trump's latest gesture on Wednesday, saying the reduction in the exercises did not fundamentally change their character.

She argued that the drills remained provocative and aggressive despite being shorter and smaller.

Kim Yo-jong also pointed to other US-South Korean military exercises held earlier this year and South Korea's efforts to introduce nuclear-powered submarines. Her comments suggested that Pyongyang expects much larger concessions before it considers returning to negotiations.

Kim Yo-jong said personal relations between her brother and Trump were "still excellent".

The remark was notable because North Korean statements about the United States often use much harsher language. Her relatively restrained tone could indicate that Pyongyang wants to keep the possibility of diplomacy open while waiting for Washington to offer further concessions.

She also rejected Trump's claim that Kim Jong-un had responded to his request for a conversation.

Trump Says He Will Meet Kim

Trump has nevertheless remained confident about the possibility of another meeting with Kim Jong-un.

When reporters asked Trump on Wednesday whether he expected to meet Kim this year, he replied: "Yeah, I will be." He declined to say whether the two leaders were exchanging letters but said he had a good relationship with Kim.

Trump and Kim met three times during Trump's first presidency. Their meetings generated hopes of progress on North Korea's nuclear programme, but negotiations eventually broke down.

The latest developments show the difficulty of restarting that diplomatic process. North Korea continues to develop its nuclear and missile capabilities, while the United States maintains pressure for denuclearisation.

For South Korea, the reduction in joint military exercises also presents a difficult balance. Scaling back the drills may help create conditions for diplomacy, but it has raised concerns about military preparedness and the future of the US-South Korean alliance.

The latest missile launches therefore carry both military and diplomatic significance. North Korea has demonstrated that it will continue to maintain pressure through its weapons programme even as Washington seeks a new opening with Kim Jong-un.