South Korea’s defence ministry said the missiles travelled approximately 900 kilometres, a range that places much of the region within reach. Officials noted that the launches violate United Nations Security Council resolutions that ban Pyongyang from conducting ballistic missile tests.

Japan confirmed that two missiles were launched and warned that the tests pose a serious threat to both regional and global security. Tokyo said it had lodged a formal protest, calling the launches reckless and destabilising.

The missile tests occurred just hours before South Korean President Lee Jae-myung departed for China, where he is expected to seek Beijing’s assistance in restarting stalled diplomatic talks with North Korea. Analysts say the timing of the launches may complicate diplomatic efforts and was likely intended to send a strong political and military signal.

North Korea has frequently used weapons tests to underscore its military capabilities, particularly during periods of diplomatic engagement or ahead of major political events. Critics argue the latest launches are part of a broader show of force ahead of the country’s next ruling Workers’ Party summit, where military strategy and defence priorities are expected to feature prominently.

Pyongyang has defended its weapons programs as necessary for self-defence, citing what it calls hostile policies by the United States and its allies. Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo maintain that North Korea’s missile and nuclear activities undermine regional stability and threaten international security.

There was no immediate indication that the missiles caused damage, but defence officials across the region said monitoring and readiness levels had been heightened in response to the launches.

Kim accused Seoul of “decades of hostility” and dismissed President Lee’s offer of goodwill initiatives as “delusion and a pipe dream.”

“South Korea cannot be regarded as a diplomatic partner,” Kim said, calling Lee’s outreach “insincere and historically blind.”

The comments coincide with the launch of the Ulchi Freedom Shield, an annual joint military drill between South Korea and the United States, which Pyongyang has condemned as “a rehearsal for invasion.”

Kim also named several South Korean cabinet ministers in her critique, accusing them of aggressive rhetoric and reinforcing the North’s perception of Seoul as a hostile force. She further instructed North Korean diplomats to shift focus away from the South and instead prioritize engagements with what she called “truly strategic or adversarial nations.”

Background:

President Lee Jae-myung, elected earlier this year, has attempted to adopt a balanced approach to Pyongyang combining pressure with offers of humanitarian cooperation. However, his efforts have largely been met with silence or rejection.

This latest rebuke from Pyongyang underscores a continued shift in North Korea’s foreign policy posture, favoring a more confrontational tone with the South while strengthening ties with Russia and China.

The North has recently resumed missile launches and weapons testing, and is reportedly expanding military cooperation with Moscow in defiance of U.N. sanctions.