North Korea on Saturday fired around 10 ballistic missiles toward the eastern sea, according to South Korea's military, in a move seen as a show of force while the United States and South Korea conduct their joint military exercises.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were launched from the Sunan area, which houses Pyongyang's international airport. The projectiles travelled about 350 kilometres before landing in the sea, Hindustan Times stated in its report.
Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said the missiles landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone and there were no reports of damage to aircraft or ships.
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Military monitoring the situation
Following the launches, South Korea's military said it had increased surveillance and was maintaining a high level of readiness. Authorities in Seoul are also sharing information about the launches with the United States and Japan.
The incident comes as the US and South Korean forces are carrying out their annual spring military drills involving thousands of troops. The exercises are taking place at a time when Washington is also engaged in a widening conflict in the Middle East.
Concerns over missile defence systems
The conflict in West Asia has raised questions in South Korea about the possible movement of American military assets stationed in the country.
Local media reports, citing security footage and other images, have speculated that the United States might be relocating some missile defence equipment from South Korea to support operations related to the Iran conflict.
When asked whether interceptor missiles from the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in Seongju were being moved to the Middle East, the office of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said it could not confirm details about US military operations.
Officials also said any potential relocation of US military assets would not weaken the allies' defence posture against North Korea.
Diplomatic hopes dimmed
The missile launches came just hours after South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met US President Donald Trump in Washington. During the meeting, the South Korean leader expressed hope for renewed diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang.
President Lee has been seeking improved relations with North Korea, and some officials have suggested that Trump's planned visit to China later this month could create opportunities for renewed dialogue.
However, Saturday's missile launches appeared to dampen those expectations.
Pyongyang criticises joint drills
North Korea has long criticised the military exercises conducted by the United States and South Korea, describing them as rehearsals for an invasion.
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The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Kim Yo Jong, earlier criticised the drills and warned that actions threatening the country's security could lead to "terrible consequences".
The current Freedom Shield exercise, which runs until March 19, is one of two major annual command post drills conducted by the United States and South Korea. The largely computer-simulated exercise is aimed at testing the allies' joint operational capabilities while responding to evolving security challenges.
In recent years, North Korea has frequently carried out missile launches during such exercises, often describing them as part of military demonstrations or weapons testing.
