North Korea fires ballistic missiles as US scales back military drills with South Korea

North Korea fired around 10 short-range ballistic missiles towards its eastern waters on Thursday, South Korea’s military said, hours after Pyongyang dismissed the United States’ decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea. Japan also detected the launches, initially describing the projectiles as suspected ballistic missiles. Japanese authorities said the missiles appeared to have fallen into the sea outside the country’s exclusive economic zone, with no immediate reports of damage.

Missiles launched from Pyongyang

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were detected at around 5 pm local time from the Pyongyang area and travelled approximately 300 kilometres before falling into the sea.

Seoul condemned the launches and maintained its military readiness while monitoring North Korean activity in coordination with the United States and Japan.

The missile barrage came at a sensitive moment on the Korean Peninsula, with Washington seeking to reduce tensions and potentially reopen diplomatic engagement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

US President Donald Trump recently ordered the Pentagon to substantially reduce American participation in the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises with South Korea. The 11-day drills, which began on August 17, are now scheduled to end on August 21, six days earlier than originally planned.

Some field exercises are also being reduced as part of the change.

Pyongyang dismisses US move

North Korea, however, has rejected suggestions that the reduced exercises represent a meaningful change in Washington’s approach.

Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of Kim Jong Un, said the smaller scale and shorter duration did not alter what Pyongyang considers the provocative and aggressive nature of the exercises. She maintained that the United States’ broader policy towards North Korea remained hostile.

Kim also warned Washington against presenting the reduction as an act of goodwill intended to improve relations.

North Korea has long condemned US-South Korean military exercises as preparations for an invasion, while Washington and Seoul maintain that the drills are defensive and necessary to preserve military readiness.

Diplomatic opening remains uncertain

Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in renewing direct diplomacy with Kim Jong Un. The two leaders met three times during Trump’s first term, but negotiations ultimately stalled over disagreements concerning North Korea’s nuclear programme and international sanctions.

Despite rejecting the latest US gesture, Kim Yo Jong indicated that the personal relationship between her brother and Trump remained positive, leaving some uncertainty over whether Pyongyang could eventually return to negotiations.

The latest launches underline the difficulty Washington faces in translating a reduction in military exercises into renewed diplomatic engagement. North Korea has continued developing its missile and nuclear capabilities while demanding more fundamental changes in US policy.

For Seoul, the developments also create a difficult balance between maintaining military preparedness and supporting efforts to restart dialogue.

Thursday’s launches suggest that, for the moment, Pyongyang intends to demonstrate its military capabilities even as Washington signals a willingness to lower tensions and revive diplomacy.