North Korea launches ballistic missiles hours before South Korean president

North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters on Sunday, according to South Korean officials. The launches took place just hours before South Korea’s president left for China for talks expected to cover North Korea’s nuclear program.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that it detected several ballistic missile launches from North Korea’s capital region around 7:50 a.m. He said the missiles flew approximately 560 miles and that South Korean and American authorities were analyzing the details of the launches.

The US Indo-Pacific Command, a branch of the US military operating in that region, said there was “no immediate threat to US personnel or territory, or our allies.”

“We are aware of the missile launches and are consulting closely with our allies and partners,” the command said in a statement. “Based on current assessments, this event does not pose an immediate threat to US personnel or territory, or to our allies. The United States remains committed to the defense of the American homeland and our allies in the region.”

Meanwhile, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said the launches violated U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibiting any ballistic activity by North Korea. He urged North Korea to immediately cease provocative actions and respond to South Korea’s push to restart talks and restore peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said at least two missile launches by North Korea have been confirmed. “They are a serious problem that threatens the peace and security of our nation, the region and the world,” Koizumi told reporters.

The launches were the latest weapons demonstration by North Korea in recent weeks. Experts say North Korea aims to showcase or review its achievements in the defense sector before the next ruling party congress, the first of its kind in five years. Observers are watching the Workers’ Party congress to see whether North Korea will set a new policy toward the United States and resume long-stalled talks between the two countries.

North Korea has focused on testing activities to expand its nuclear arsenal since its leader Kim Jong Un’s summit with U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019. Kim has also improved his diplomatic credentials by aligning himself with Russia over its war in Ukraine and warming relations with China. Observers say Kim would believe his influence has increased dramatically to wrest concessions from Trump if they sit down for talks again.

North Korea has not announced when it will hold the congress, but South Korea’s spy service said it will likely take place in January or February.

Sunday’s launches also came hours before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung left for China for a summit with President Xi Jinping. During the four-day trip, Lee’s office said he would ask China, North Korea’s main ally and largest trading partner, to take “a constructive role” in efforts to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea and the United States have long called on China to exert influence on North Korea to persuade it to return to talks or abandon its nuclear program. But there are questions about what influence China has over its socialist neighbor. China, along with Russia, has also repeatedly blocked attempts by the United States and others to tighten economic sanctions on North Korea in recent years.

Later on Sunday, South Korea called an emergency meeting of the national security council to discuss the North Korean missile launches. The council briefed Lee on details of South Korea’s unspecified launches and measures, according to the presidential office.

The launches followed Saturday’s dramatic US military operation. who overthrew Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power and brought him to the United States to face charges of narcoterrorism conspiracy. It represented the most assertive action by the United States to achieve regime change in a country since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

North Korea’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday criticized the U.S. operation, saying it again shows “the rebellious and brutal nature of the United States.” A statement from the ministry said it denounces the US act as “the most serious form of usurpation of sovereignty.”

“Kim Jong Un may feel justified in his efforts to build a nuclear deterrent, as he probably felt after Trump’s attacks on Iran,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. “However, leaders of hostile regimes will likely live with greater paranoia after seeing how quickly Maduro was taken from his country to stand trial in the United States.”

Korea’s official Central News Agency said Sunday that Kim visited a weapons factory on Saturday to review precision-guided multipurpose weapons produced there. KCNA quoted Kim ordering officials to expand current production capacity by about 2.5 times.

Last Sunday, North Korea tested what it called long-range strategic cruise missiles. On December 25, North Korea released photos showing apparent progress in building its first nuclear-powered submarine.