(URGENT) N. Korea's missiles flew about 300 kilometers: S. Korean military

North Korea launched a series of short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Thursday, despite recent overtures from U.S. President Donald Trump to engage in dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The missile tests came after Trump suggested a willingness to resume nuclear diplomacy with Kim, who the U.S. president had previously met three times during his presidency.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) stated that they detected around a dozen short-range ballistic missiles launched from Pyongyang around 5 p.m. and are conducting further analysis in cooperation with the United States. The military has increased surveillance and vigilance, maintaining a full readiness posture and sharing information with the U.S. and Japan.

In response to the missile launch, a meeting was convened by the presidential national security office to review South Korea's reaction and evaluate the potential impact on national security. The missile tests follow a period of inactivity in nuclear talks between the U.S. and North Korea, which had been ongoing since their historic summit in Hanoi in February 2019.

Trump had recently urged the Pentagon to scale back military drills with South Korea, citing concerns that such exercises could be perceived as hostile by Pyongyang. The North has consistently denounced the drills as rehearsals for invasion and has retaliated with additional missile tests in protest. Despite Trump's recent comments about North Korea possessing "57 very powerful nuclear weapons," Pyongyang has remained defiant, with Kim Yo-jong, the leader's sister, dismissing the allies' military exercises as unworthy of comment.

Following the missile launch, the JCS emphasized the need to maintain a high state of readiness and warned against further provocations that violate U.N. Security Council resolutions.