North Korea fired two cruise missiles on Wednesday in response to joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States. The missiles landed in the Yellow Sea west of the Korean Peninsula. North Korea is furious over its southern neighbour’s military drills, which it describes as a “dress rehearsal for an invasion”.
The two missiles were the first missile tests since South Korea and the United States began joint exercises on Tuesday. It is also about North Korea’s first missile test in months. It is unclear whether the country is testing more missiles in the coming days.
South Korea and the United States are training until Friday. The military tests are in preparation for major joint maneuvers called the Ulchi Freedom Shield. They will be held from August 22 to September 1.
Hours after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un launched a missile test, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said talks between the two countries could lead to peace. In his speech, Yun did not say a word about the northern neighbor’s new missile tests.
Yoon reiterated that his country would refrain from economic support for North Korea’s denuclearization. Kim, on the other hand, does not want to remove his “defensive devices”.