Key facts
- North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast on Monday.
- The launches occurred hours after South Korea and the U.S. began their annual joint military exercises.
- Pyongyang views the joint drills as a provocation and a 'war rehearsal'.
- North Korea's Foreign Ministry warned the drills could spark a 'physical conflict'.
- This marks North Korea's fifth missile launch event this year.
North Korea launched several short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area toward the sea off its east coast on Monday, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The launches occurred just hours after South Korea and the U.S. commenced their annual joint military exercises, which Pyongyang views as a provocation.
South Korean and U.S. authorities are analyzing the missile specifications. The U.S. Pacific Command stated the launches do not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, territory, or allies. This marks North Korea's fifth missile launch event this year.
The joint military exercise, known as "Freedom Shield," is set to last for 11 days. North Korea's Foreign Ministry had previously warned that the drills could spark a "physical conflict" on the Korean Peninsula, calling them an "aggressive and confrontational war rehearsal." The statement reaffirmed leader Kim Jong Un’s goal of "radical growth" in North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, citing perceived threats from the U.S. and its regional allies.
The Freedom Shield command post exercise resumed after a brief pause following a military mishap last week, where two South Korean KF-16 fighter jets mistakenly dropped eight MK-82 bombs on a civilian area in Pocheon, near the North Korean border, injuring about 30 people.