North Korea Fires Multiple Ballistic Missiles Ahead of Trump’s Visit to South Korea
North Korea launched several ballistic missiles early Wednesday morning, marking its first such test in months — and coming just a week before world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, are set to arrive in South Korea for a major summit.
According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the missiles — believed to be short-range — were fired around 8:10 a.m. local time (11:10 p.m. GMT Tuesday) from an area south of Pyongyang. They reportedly flew about 350 kilometers (217 miles) before landing in the sea.
The launch is North Korea’s first since South Korean President Lee Jae-myung took office in June.
Trump, who previously held multiple meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his first term, has expressed interest in meeting him again this year. North Korea’s state media recently signaled that Kim could be open to renewed dialogue — but only if the United States abandons what Pyongyang calls its “delusional demand” for denuclearization.
Earlier this month, North Korea unveiled what it described as its “most powerful” intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) during a military parade attended by high-ranking officials from Russia and China. Pyongyang claims the new Hwasong-20 missile has a strike range that “knows no bounds.”
In September, Kim personally oversaw a test of a solid-fuel engine designed for long-range nuclear missiles — the ninth and reportedly final engine test before a potential full ICBM launch.
‘A Growing and Active Missile Program’
Analysts say the latest launch is likely a political message.
“This is a direct response to Trump and his recent moves,” said Park Won-gon, a professor at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. “Kim Jong Un is also reasserting his regime’s presence ahead of an event hosted by Seoul, as he’s done in the past.”
Trump is scheduled to arrive in South Korea on October 29 for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum.
North Korea has long claimed that its missile program is aimed at defending itself from U.S. hostility, insisting it has the capability to strike the continental United States. However, Washington continues to demand Pyongyang’s complete denuclearization, a sticking point that has repeatedly stalled talks between the two countries.
Despite years of tension, Kim recently struck a softer tone, recalling his earlier meetings with Trump fondly.
“If the United States abandons its delusional obsession with denuclearisation and genuinely seeks peaceful coexistence, then there’s no reason we cannot meet again,” state media quoted Kim as saying last month.
North Korea remains under heavy UN sanctions over its weapons programs but continues to strengthen ties with China and Russia, both of which have shown increasing support for Pyongyang on the international stage.
