North Korea Fires Short-Range Ballistic Missiles in Protest of Military Drills

North Korea has launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea as a response to the joint South Korea-US military exercises, according to the Seoul government. Detected by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the missiles were fired from the vicinity of Sunan in Pyongyang and traveled around 360 km before landing in the sea.

The JCS strongly condemned these actions as significant provocations that threaten regional and global peace. The launches coincide with the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise, which started on August 21 and includes joint air drills involving US B-1B strategic bombers. North Korea has repeatedly criticized such drills, viewing them as rehearsals for invasion.

This comes after North Korea’s recent failed attempt to launch a purported space rocket carrying a claimed military reconnaissance satellite. Pyongyang had previously test-fired short-range ballistic missiles on July 24. The JCS vowed to continue monitoring North Korea’s activities closely.