North Korea Test Fires Missiles As Kim Jong Un’s Sister Says She’s ‘Unaware’ Of Any Talks With Trump

Seoul was struck by several short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday, according to South Korea's military, following President Trump's announcement that he would meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year. The missile launches occurred in the wake of the U.S. president's decision to reduce ongoing joint South Korea-U.S. military exercises, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, which are set to conclude on Friday.

North Korea has consistently denounced these exercises as rehearsals for an invasion, often launching missile tests during or around the drills.

Former President Trump cited his "very good relationship" with Kim as the reason for scaling back the war games, stating that the annual military exercises sent a "totally inappropriate and hostile signal" to the North. He added that the ongoing war with Iran played a role in his decision, suggesting that improved relations with Kim were essential.

Seoul reported that North Korea now possesses between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, while Trump maintained that Pyongyang had 57 "very powerful" nuclear weapons. Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff acknowledged firing around 10 short-range ballistic missiles from Pyongyang, while Japan reported that a suspected missile had already fallen.

The sudden focus on Kim and the reduction of joint drills have raised concerns among Asian allies, raising speculation that Trump may be pursuing a foreign policy victory amid the prolonged and costly Iran war. Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leader's powerful sister, stated that her brother harbored "good memories and feelings" for Trump and that their relationship remained "excellent." However, she claimed to be unaware of any ongoing communication between the two leaders.

Trump met with Kim three times during his first term, praising their relationship, yet failing to secure any substantial commitments from North Korea to curb its nuclear weapons program, which has continued to advance since. Despite Kim's desire to be recognized as a nuclear-weapon state, South Korea's Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back maintained that Seoul remained opposed to this notion.

When asked if Washington had abandoned the goal of North Korea's denuclearization, Ahn expressed doubt, stating his belief that the U.S. had not given up on the process.