South Korea condemned North Korea for launching more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea east of the Korean Peninsula, according to a report published August 20. The South Korean presidential office convened an emergency security meeting with military and defense ministry officials following the launches, which the office stated violated UN Security Council resolutions.
The missiles were launched from the Pyongyang area and flew approximately 300km toward the sea, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back told lawmakers that the missiles are believed to be 600 mm multiple rocket launchers, which could potentially be deployed near the border with the South. Pyongyang has previously described the 600 mm system, known externally as the KN-25, as capable of delivering tactical nuclear warheads. Ahn also stated that North Korea possesses between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads.
The missile launches occurred during a shorter edition of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises. President Donald Trump ordered the reduction of these joint exercises in an effort to revive diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump stated on Monday that he had received a response from Kim Jong Un after scaling back the exercises.
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of Kim Jong Un, condemned the US-South Korea military drills on Wednesday, describing the decision to scale back the exercises as a disaster resulting from Seoul's security outlook. She argued that South Korea maintains a master-and-servant relationship with the US and stated she was unaware of recent communications between the two leaders.
International reactions to the drills and launches included statements from Russia and China. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow welcomed the US decision to cut back its participation in the exercises. Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged South Korea not to take sides between Beijing and Washington and suggested the US should abandon its hostile policy toward North Korea.
