By: The Trek News Desk
North Korea has fired multiple ballistic missiles into the sea off its eastern coast in its first missile activity of the new year. The launches took place as South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung arrived in Beijing on an official visit, where he is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.
According to South Korea’s military, the missiles were launched at around 7:50 am local time and travelled approximately 900 kilometres before landing in the sea. Military authorities said South Korea and the United States are closely examining the technical details of the launches while maintaining a heightened state of readiness.
US Forces in the Asia-Pacific region said in a statement that the missile tests did not pose an immediate threat to US territory, personnel, or allied nations. Japan also confirmed that at least two of the missiles flew distances of roughly 900 to 950 kilometres. Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi described North Korea’s missile and nuclear ambitions as a serious threat to regional and international security.
The latest launches mark Pyongyang’s first ballistic missile tests since November. North Korean state media reported that leader Kim Jong Un recently visited a weapons manufacturing facility, where he called for a significant increase in the production of tactical guided weapons. In recent weeks, Kim has also inspected several arms factories and a nuclear-powered submarine, moves widely seen as a show of strength ahead of the Workers’ Party’s ninth congress scheduled for later this year.
Meanwhile, Chinese state media confirmed that President Lee Jae-myung has begun a four-day visit to Beijing, accompanied by more than 200 South Korean business leaders. Discussions during the visit are expected to focus on supply chain investment, the digital economy and cultural cooperation.
This will be the second meeting between Lee and Xi in just two months; a frequency analysts interpret as a sign of Beijing’s interest in strengthening economic ties and boosting tourism with South Korea. Seoul has said that peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula will also be part of the agenda.
Ahead of his visit, President Lee told Chinese television that South Korea continues to respect the “One China” policy regarding Taiwan. He said the healthy development of relations between Beijing and Seoul depends on mutual respect and described President Xi as a “reliable neighbour.”
Source: News Agencies
