North Korea fires unidentified projectile, says South Korean military

South Korea's military announced on Thursday that North Korea had fired at least one unidentified projectile. Earlier, Japan's prime minister's office had suspected the projectile to be a ballistic missile. US President Donald Trump had expressed his intention to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later in the year, aiming to revive their relationship.

Trump stated that North Korea possessed 57 powerful nuclear weapons. The Joint Chiefs of Staff in South Korea informed AFP about the firing of the unidentified projectile, providing no further details. Trump's renewed focus on Kim and the reduction of US-South Korea military drills have caused concern among Asian allies, who speculate that Trump may be attempting to secure a foreign policy victory amidst the stalled Iran conflict.

Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of Kim Jong Un, denied knowledge of the communication between her brother and Trump, yet claimed that their relationship remained excellent. South Korea's defense minister stated earlier that North Korea is estimated to possess between 80 to 120 nuclear weapons.