North Korea launches 10 ballistic missiles towards sea during US-South Korea drills

North Korea fired 10 ballistic missiles towards the sea on Saturday, according to South Korean and Japanese authorities, in a fresh show of force as the United States and South Korea conduct joint military drills.

The projectiles were fired toward waters off North Korea’s east coast, the South Korean military said in a brief message to reporters, without providing further details. Japan’s coast guard also said the missiles appeared to have fallen into the sea.

The missiles are believed to have landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reported, citing sources in the defence ministry.

The launches come as Seoul and Washington continue large-scale military exercises that began five days earlier. The allies say the drills are purely defensive and aimed at testing readiness against potential military threats from North Korea.

Nuclear-armed North Korea has frequently condemned such exercises, calling them “dress rehearsals” for an invasion and a sign of hostile intent by the allies.

The missile launches also come days after South Korea’s prime minister met US President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday to discuss possible ways to reopen dialogue with Pyongyang, which has remained stalled since 2019.

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With agency inputs

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