North Korea Conducts Short-Range Missile Test Ahead of US-South Korea Visit

North Korea fired short-range ballistic missiles eastward on Wednesday, prompting a South Korean security meeting. No damage was reported, and Japan confirmed close coordination with Seoul and Washington. The launch comes ahead of President Trump’s planned visit to South Korea.

North Korea conducted a ballistic missile test on Wednesday, according to South Korea's military. The missiles were reported to have flown eastward, with the South Korean Yonhap news agency noting that they were launched toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, off North Korea's east coast. The exact landing locations of the missiles were not specified.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that multiple short-range ballistic missiles had been launched from an area south of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. The military reported that the missiles traveled approximately 350 kilometers (218 miles) in a northeastern direction.

In response to the launch, South Korea's presidential office stated that a meeting of the national security council had been convened.

Japan's new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, confirmed that none of the missiles had entered Japanese territorial waters and that no damage had been reported. She added that Tokyo was maintaining close communication with both Seoul and Washington.

The missile tests occurred ahead of a planned visit to South Korea by US President Donald Trump. Trump, along with other world leaders, including China's Xi Jinping, is scheduled to attend a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Pyongyang previously conducted missile tests on May 8, firing several short-range projectiles from its east coast. Wednesday's launch marks the first such test since South Korean President Lee Jae-myung assumed office in June. During his presidential campaign, Lee emphasized the importance of halting hostile actions toward North Korea and spoke of ushering in "a new era of peaceful coexistence" with the country. In his first address at the UN General Assembly last month, Lee reiterated the need to pursue denuclearization while fostering inter-Korean cooperation.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen numerous weapons tests since high-stakes nuclear diplomacy with Trump collapsed in 2019. Last month, Kim indicated that he could return to talks if Washington abandoned its demand for North Korea's denuclearization, following repeated expressions of interest from Trump in a new round of diplomacy. In August, Kim supervised the test firing of two "new" air defense missiles, which coincided with joint military exercises conducted by the US and South Korea.