North Korea launches 2 ballistic missiles toward sea, South Korea says

North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles towards the sea on Sunday, according to South Korea's military. This comes days after North Korea threatened to strengthen its nuclear capabilities and respond to any U.S. aggression. The missile launches were the latest in a series of demonstrations of weapons, even after U.S. President Donald Trump reduced a joint military exercise with South Korea.

The two missiles were fired from North Korea's eastern coastal Wonsan area, with one traveling about 450 kilometers and the other over 600 kilometers, both ending in the sea. South Korea's presidential office has urged North Korea to immediately cease missile launches, which are prohibited by U.N. Security Council resolutions. The South Korean military remains on high alert to defend against any provocations from the North, maintaining a solid alliance with the United States.

Japan's Defense Ministry detected a suspected North Korean missile earlier on Sunday but it did not land in its territorial waters. North Korea's sister and senior official, Kim Yo Jong, dismissed Trump's overture, stating that shortening the drill wouldn't change its provocative and aggressive nature. She also criticized a recent U.S.-led maritime exercise, calling it a "frantic military move" meant to prolong American hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region.

North Korea has been increasing its military activities in response to recent U.S. moves, including a joint live-fire drill involving missiles, artillery, and drones earlier this month, which North Korea described as an attempt to develop the ability to overwhelm South Korean and U.S. air defenses. Kim Jong Un has been focusing on expanding his nuclear arsenal after his previous high-stakes diplomacy with Trump collapsed in 2019.

He has reportedly believed he now has greater leverage in potential fresh diplomacy with Trump, given his advancing nuclear capabilities and deepening ties with Russia and China. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who advocates for improved ties with North Korea, suggested that a resumption of U.S.-North Korea talks could be an important starting point for peace on the Korean Peninsula.