North Korea fired three ballistic missiles on Thursday toward its eastern waters, South Korea said.
The missiles were fired from North Korea’s capital region, and the test comes ahead of President Joe Biden’s visit to South Korea next week. The president’s visit is meant to reaffirm the United States’s security commitments to the region, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, according to the Associated Press.
NORTH KOREA CONDUCTS BALLISTIC MISSILE LAUNCH AHEAD OF SOUTH KOREAN INAUGURATION
Japan’s Defense Ministry said it detected a projectile weapon fired by North Korea but did not confirm if it was a ballistic missile.
Biden will visit South Korea and Japan from May 20-24 to “deepen ties between our governments, economies, and people,” according to the White House.
Thursday’s launch marks the 16th round of tests North Korea has conducted this year. Kim Jong Un pledged to bolster his nuclear arsenal after discussions between the Hermit Kingdom and the U.S. about denuclearization stalled. On Saturday, North Korea fired a ballistic missile off its east coast days before South Korea’s newly elected president Yoon Suk Yeol was sworn into office.
The recent tests mark a significant step up from the eight tests it conducted in 2021 and four in 2020.
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The launch also comes on the heels of the nation acknowledging its first COVID-19 case on Thursday.
