South Korea and the United States launched eight ballistic missiles from the east coast of South Korea last night. The missiles fell into the sea. The South Korean military said in a statement that the launches came in response to missile launches by neighboring North Korea yesterday.
The military said North Korea fired a similar number of short-range missiles toward the Sea of Japan yesterday. South Korea and the United States conducted naval exercises there last week.
The United States says the missile test was conducted in response to a US missile and seven South Korean missiles. The South Korean military said the response from both countries showed “the ability and willingness” to carry out precision strikes.
“Our military strongly condemns the series of ballistic missile provocations by North Korea and urges an immediate halt to measures that increase military tensions and increase security problems,” South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said in a statement.
North Korea has intensified its missile tests in recent months. Presumably, this was done to pressure South Korea and the United States to resume negotiations. Only in Washington under President Joe Biden is there little incentive to return to the negotiating table.
