North Korea has fired ballistic missiles toward the east, Seoul says

South Korea’s military detected multiple suspected short-range ballistic missiles launched from an area south of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

North Korea performed its first ballistic missile tests in five months on Wednesday, days before US President Donald Trump and other leaders are expected to meet in South Korea, local officials in Seoul say.South Korea’s military detected multiple suspected short-range ballistic missiles launched from an area south of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. It said the weapons flew about 350 kilometres each in a northeastern direction but didn’t say where they landed.South Korea’s military said it maintains a readiness to repel any provocations by North Korea based on the solid military alliance with the United States.Wednesday’s ballistic missile launches by North Korea were the first of their kind since the country, on 8 May, tested short-range systems that simulated nuclear counterstrikes against US and South Korean forces.They were also the first ballistic missile testing activities by North Korea since Lee took office in June, with a promise to push to restore peace on the Korean Peninsula.Asia-Pacific (APEC) summitNext week, South Korea hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, an annual summit meant to promote economic integration and trade. It has no military component.Trump was expected to come to Gyeongju ahead of the summit for bilateral meetings with leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, but South Korean officials say Trump won’t likely attend APEC’s main conference set for 30 October to 1 November.Experts had warned North Korea could conduct provocative missile tests before or during the APEC summit to underscore its commitment to gain recognition as a nuclear-armed state.It is believed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would need that status to call for the UN to lift the economic sanctions punishing it for its weapons programme.Wednesday’s ballistic missile launches by North Korea were the first of their kind since the country, on 8 May, tested short-range systems that simulated nuclear counterstrikes against US and South Korean forces.They were also the first ballistic missile testing activities by North Korea since Lee took office in June, with a promise to push to restore peace on the Korean Peninsula.Why is Kim Jong-un ramping up testing?Since his high-stakes nuclear negotiations with Trump collapsed in 2019 over disagreements over the US-led economic sanctions, Kim has been rapidly speeding up weapons testing.But last month, the North Korean leader suggested he could return to talks if the US drops its demand for North Korea’s denuclearisation, after Trump repeatedly expressed his hopes for new diplomacy.Earlier this month, Kim displayed a new intercontinental ballistic missile at a military parade attended by Chinese, Russian, and other top officials.The parade highlighted Kim’s growing diplomatic footing and his relentless drive to build a reliable arsenal of nuclear missiles targeting the US and its allies.North Korea’s state media said the 10 October parade featured the Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile, which it described as the country’s “most powerful nuclear strategic weapon system.”Observers said the ICBM is designed to carry multiple nuclear warheads to defeat US missile defences and that North Korea could test-launch it in the coming months.