North Korea has fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles into waters off its eastern coast, hours after United States President Donald Trump announced plans to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were launched from the Pyongyang area at about 5pm on Thursday and travelled approximately 300 kilometres towards the East Sea.
The launches came as the United States and South Korea conducted a scaled-down version of their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises.
Pyongyang has consistently opposed joint military drills between Washington and Seoul, describing them as preparations for an invasion. North Korea has frequently responded to such exercises with missile tests.
Trump, speaking at the White House on Wednesday, said he intended to meet Kim again, reviving memories of the relationship he established with the North Korean leader during his first administration.
The US president said it was important for Washington to maintain a relationship with Pyongyang, adding that North Korea possessed 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons. South Korean estimates put the number of North Korean nuclear weapons at between 80 and 120.
Following Thursday’s launches, South Korea’s presidential office convened an emergency security meeting and condemned the missile tests as violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The government also ordered the military to maintain heightened readiness.
Trump’s renewed engagement with Kim and the decision to shorten the US-South Korean military exercises have raised concerns among some US allies in Asia.
The latest drills are scheduled to conclude on Friday, roughly a week earlier than originally planned, following a request from the US side.
The Pentagon, however, said the shortened exercises would not compromise US military training objectives.
North Korean leader Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, said on Wednesday that her brother still had “good memories and feelings” towards Trump and described the relationship between the two leaders as excellent.
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She nevertheless said she was not aware of any ongoing communication between them.
The United States maintains approximately 28,500 troops in South Korea as part of its longstanding security commitment to Seoul, which dates back to the 1950-53 Korean War.
South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Seoul remained opposed to recognising North Korea as a nuclear-weapon state.
Asked whether Washington had abandoned its goal of denuclearising North Korea, Ahn said he did not believe that was the case.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who has advocated strengthening his country’s independent defence capabilities, also expressed support for Trump’s renewed diplomatic efforts.
Lee said he would do everything possible to support efforts aimed at improving relations and pursuing peace with North Korea.
Trump and Kim held three high-profile meetings during Trump’s first presidency, including summits in Singapore and Hanoi, as well as a meeting at the inter-Korean border.
However, negotiations over North Korea’s nuclear programme ultimately stalled, with Pyongyang continuing to expand its missile and nuclear capabilities.