North Korea test-fired sea-to-surface cruise missiles off its western coast, state media said Wednesday, only hours before U.S. President Donald Trump was set to arrive in South Korea. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the vertically-launched missiles were fired from the Yellow Sea on Tuesday and remained airborne for over two hours. The launch was supervised by senior military official Pak Jong Chon, who said the country was achieving “significant progress” in strengthening its nuclear capabilities as a deterrent to adversaries. Pak said the purpose of the test was to verify “the reliability of various strategic offensive systems and demonstrate our capabilities to the enemies.” He added that it was the military’s “duty to continuously reinforce our nuclear combat readiness.” Notably, leader Kim Jong Un did not attend the launch, even though he is usually present for major weapons tests. Trump, who has expressed willingness to meet Kim during his trip his first to the Korean Peninsula in his second term—has said he would “love to talk” if conditions allow. Kim, however, has said discussions may only resume if Washington abandons what Pyongyang calls its “unrealistic” demand for the North to renounce its nuclear arsenal. “This launch highlights Pyongyang’s stance on maintaining its nuclear deterrent ahead of Trump’s arrival, showing once again that denuclearization is not up for negotiation,” said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, speaking to AFP. The two leaders last met in 2019 at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which has divided North and South Korea for decades. North Korea has yet to respond publicly to the invitation. Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, told AFP that Kim’s absence was revealing. “This is not an overt attempt to embarrass Trump,” he said. Kim was also not mentioned by KCNA in reporting of last week’s test launch of several hypersonic missiles.
North Korea Tests Missile Just Hours Ahead of Trump’s Arrival in South Korea
