North Korea launches ballistic missiles hours before South Korean president’s trip to China

North Korea launched several missiles toward its eastern waters on Sunday, according to South Korean officials. The launch of this took place a few hours before the president of South Korea headed to China where the nuclear programs in North Korea will be discussed.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea said in a statement that it received multiple missile explosions from North Korea around 7:50 am. It said the missiles flew about 560 kilometers and that South Korean and American authorities were analyzing the details of the shooting.

The US Indo-Pacific Command, the branch of the US Armed Forces operating in the region, said there was “no immediate threat to US personnel or territory, or to our allies.”

“We are aware of the missile launch and are in consultation with our allies and partners,” the command’s statement said. “Based on current assessments, this incident does not pose an immediate threat to US personnel or territory, or to our allies. The United States remains committed to protecting the US homeland and our partners in the region.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense of South Korea noted that the launch of this program violates the resolutions of the UN Security Council that prohibit any ballistic actions by North Korea. It urged North Korea to immediately stop provocative actions and respond to South Korea’s push to resume talks and restore peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said that the launch of at least two missiles by North Korea has been confirmed. “They are a big problem, threatening the peace and security of our nation, the region and the whole world,” Koizumi told reporters.

The launch was the latest weapons display by North Korea in recent weeks. Experts say North Korea intends to show off or review its defense achievements ahead of the upcoming ruling party summit, the first in five years. Observers are watching the Workers Party summit to see if North Korea will set a new target on the US and restart long-stalled talks between the two countries.

North Korea has been focusing on testing activities to increase its nuclear arsenal since its leader Kim Jong Un’s summit with US President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019. Kim also strengthened his diplomatic credentials by cooperating with Russia over its war in Ukraine and strengthening relations with China. Observers say Kim may believe that his power has risen too far to win approval from Trump if they sit down for further talks.

North Korea has not announced when the summit will be held, but South Korean intelligence said it could take place in January or February.

Sunday’s launch also came hours before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung left for China for a summit with President Xi Jinping. During the four-day visit, Lee’s office said it would ask China, North Korea’s biggest ally and trade partner, to play a “constructive role” in efforts to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea and the US have long called on China to use its influence on North Korea to persuade it to return to talks or give up its nuclear program. But there are questions about how big of a power China has over its social neighbor. China, along with Russia, has repeatedly blocked efforts by the US and others to tighten economic sanctions on North Korea in recent years.

Later on Sunday, South Korea called an emergency meeting of the national security council to discuss North Korea’s missile launch. The council reported details of the launch and South Korea’s unspecified moves to Lee, according to the president’s office.

The launch of this program follows the American military operation on Saturday which ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power and brought him to the US to face narco-terrorism conspiracy charges. It represents the most committed US action to achieve regime change in the country since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of North Korea on Sunday criticized the action of the US, saying that it also shows the “corrupt and cruel nature of the US”.

“Kim Jong Un may feel vindicated in his efforts to build a nuclear deterrent, as he may have done after Trump’s attack on Iran,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. “However, the leaders of hostile regimes will likely live with great paranoia after seeing how quickly Maduro was extradited from his country to stand trial in the United States.”

The official Korean Central News Agency said Sunday Kim visited the weapons factory on Saturday to inspect several precision-guided munitions produced there. KCNA quoted Kim as ordering officials to increase current production capacity by about 2.5 times.

Last Sunday, North Korea tested what it called long-range strategic cruise missiles. On December 25, North Korea released photos showing visible progress in the construction of its first nuclear-powered submarine.