North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles on Monday as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited South Korea for talks.
Missile Firing and International Reaction
The South Korean military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it had detected the missile launches near Pyongyang between 7:44 a.m. and 8:22 a.m. The missiles flew around 300 kilometres and landed in the East Sea.
“North Korea fired at least three KN-24 missiles, and their trajectories were similar to those of KN-24,” a senior military official said. The KN-24 is a solid-fuel ballistic missile with a range of up to 410 km and a payload of 400-500 kg.
The South Korean military said it immediately shared the information with US and Japanese authorities, noting that a comprehensive analysis is underway. “We strongly condemn North Korea's latest missile launch, which is a clear provocation that seriously threatens peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” the JCS said.
In Japan, the media reported that Pyongyang had fired three short-range ballistic missiles. PM Fumio Kishida condemned the regime’s “repeated and highly frequent” weapons tests.
This “series of actions threaten the peace and security of Japan, the region and the international community. We do not tolerate it,” Kishida underscored.
Blinken meeting in Seoul now with South Korean foreign minister Cho Tae-yul on day North Korea fires a ballistic missile. Protesters outside with a wide array of signs calling for a ceasefire, an end to the war in Ukraine (and NATO expansion), etc. pic.twitter.com/G9lXfb6wt4
— Iain Marlow (@iainmarlow) March 18, 2024
At a news conference later on Monday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, the government’s top spokesperson, said Tokyo had “strongly protested and condemned” the launches. He added that Tokyo was keeping a close watch on Pyongyang’s next moves, including the possibility of more satellite launches after the hermit kingdom successfully put a military spy satellite into orbit in November.
Blinken in South Korea
North Korea launched the missiles as Blinken landed in South Korea on Sunday afternoon to participate in the democracy summit. The summit, which runs from 18 to 20 March, will bring together government officials, NGOs, and civil society members.
Blinken will also meet South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul to discuss improving the “extended deterrence” against North Korea. As a key ally, the US has stationed about 27,000 American soldiers in the South to help protect it against the nuclear-armed North.