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North Korea launches missile as US pushes South Korea for greater defense role
This marked the second missile launch of the year, coinciding with rising tensions between the US and South Korea over military strategy and trade tariffs.
North Korea fired an unidentified projectile off its east coast on Tuesday, South Korea’s military said, days after the US released a new defense strategy signaling a reduction in American military support to deter the North’s nuclear ambitions.
At least one projectile was launched toward waters off its east coast, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Japan’s Coast Guard said the object suspected of being a ballistic missile likely has already fallen into the sea. Further details were not immediately available.
It would be Pyongyang’s second ballistic missile launch of the year and comes after North Korea accused the South earlier this month of having violated its airspace with drones. The South Korean government has denied involvement in the alleged incident and launched an investigation into suspicions that the unmanned vehicle was sent by civilians. After the first launch in early January, the North said it had tested a hypersonic missile.
The latest show of force comes as Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby visited Seoul and praised South Korea as a model ally ready to take a greater role for its own defense.
Colby’s visit this week followed the release of the US National Defense Strategy that urged South Korea to take the primary role in deterring North Korea as the Trump administration shifts its focus to prioritize protecting the US homeland.
The missile launch also comes amid tensions between the US and South Korea after President Donald Trump threatened to hike tariffs on goods imported from the treaty ally to 25%, citing what he said was the failure of the country’s legislature to codify the trade deal the two nations reached last year.
