North Korea launched multiple short‑range ballistic missiles toward the sea on Saturday, the day after the United States, South Korea and Japan concluded a five‑day trilateral military exercise that the regime views as a provocation. The missiles were fired from the eastern coastal Wonsan area and travelled roughly 250 kilometres into North Korea’s eastern waters.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff detected the launches and increased surveillance, exchanging information with the United States and Japan. The US Pacific Command said the event did not pose an immediate threat to US territory or its allies, reaffirming its commitment to regional defense.
The exercise, called Freedom Edge, included maritime, air, cyber and medical drills aimed at improving interoperability against North Korean nuclear threats. South Korean officials described it as defensive, while North Korea’s defense minister Kim Song Gi condemned the drill and warned of “strong and reflective countermeasures.”
Shortly after the exercise, Kim Jong Un announced the commissioning of the country’s second naval destroyer, which can carry nuclear‑capable missiles, and called for a more reliable nuclear deterrent. The leader has expanded his nuclear arsenal since 2019 and seeks U.S. concessions, arguing that the U.S. must abandon its “hostile policy” and acknowledge North Korea’s nuclear status.
