KEY POINTS
- North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles towards the Yellow Sea
- The missiles were fired after US-South Korea joint military drills began
- South Korea confirmed the launches from Hwanghae Province
- Missiles were likely close-range ballistic missiles (CRBMs)
- North Korea calls the US-South Korea exercise an aggressive and confrontational war rehearsal
- North Korea cites the arrival of the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier as a provocation
SEOUL: North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles towards the Yellow Sea on Monday, just hours after the United States and South Korea commenced their large-scale joint military exercises, Seoul’s military confirmed.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported that the missiles were fired from North Korea’s southwestern Hwanghae Province at approximately 1:50 pm local time (0450 GMT).
“Our military has strengthened surveillance and vigilance and is maintaining a thorough readiness posture in close coordination with the United States,” the JCS said in a statement carried by South Korean media.
A JCS official, speaking anonymously to local outlets, suggested that the projectiles were likely close-range ballistic missiles (CRBMs), with flight distances estimated between 60 to 100 kilometres.
The launch marked North Korea’s fifth missile test this year.
Military exercises and North Korean response
The missile tests coincided with the commencement of the annual Freedom Shield joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea, which are scheduled to last for 11 days.
According to a statement from the US Army, the drills will include urban combat, field hospital operations, field artillery exercises, air assault training, and air defence operations.
North Korea has long condemned these military exercises, perceiving them as rehearsals for invasion.
Earlier in the day, the country’s state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper described Freedom Shield as an “aggressive and confrontational war rehearsal.”
Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, issued a statement last week warning that Pyongyang was “seriously considering measures to escalate our strategic-level actions” in response to heightened US military activities in the region.
She specifically cited the recent arrival of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in South Korea as a provocation that could trigger North Korea’s demonstration of its “strategic deterrence capabilities”—a term often associated with nuclear weaponry.
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry further denounced the drills, warning that they heightened the risk of military conflict.
In a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the ministry described the joint exercises as a “dangerous provocative act” that could lead to an “aggravated security crisis.”
Live-fire drills after South Korean bombing incident
The Freedom Shield exercise was initially disrupted by a tragic incident last week when two South Korean KF-16 fighter jets accidentally bombed a civilian area in Pocheon, near the North Korean border.
The mishap resulted in injuries to 30 people, two of whom were in serious condition.
According to the South Korean Air Force, one of the pilots had mistakenly entered incorrect coordinates, leading to the accidental release of eight MK-82 bombs.
The second pilot, focusing on flight formation, dropped bombs based on incorrect instructions without visually verifying the target.
In response, both the South Korean and US militaries halted all live-fire exercises pending a full investigation into the incident.
South Korean Air Force Chief of Staff, General Lee Youngsu, issued a formal apology, stating, “This should never have happened and must never happen again.”
Despite the pause in live-fire drills, the broader Freedom Shield exercise has continued, drawing strong condemnation from Pyongyang.
Heightened tensions in region
North Korea has ramped up its military activity in recent months, conducting multiple missile tests, including a cruise missile launch that reportedly destroyed a building on an island in the Yellow Sea.
Analysts suggest that Monday’s missile test was intended as a show of defiance against Washington and Seoul.
In November, North Korea launched short-range ballistic missiles on the eve of the US presidential election, in what was widely interpreted as a signal of its military stance irrespective of the election outcome.
While the US and South Korea maintain that their military exercises are purely defensive, Pyongyang views them as direct threats to its national security, fuelling fears of further escalation in the region.
Following Monday’s missile launch, South Korea’s military reaffirmed its commitment to national defence.
“Our forces remain on high alert and are closely monitoring any further signs of provocation from North Korea in coordination with our US allies,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated.
