North Korea fires suspected ballistic missile during allied drills

North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Thursday, Japan's prime minister's office announced, with South Korea's military confirming the launch occurred during ongoing joint exercises between Washington and Seoul. The projectile was launched as the US and South Korea conduct the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield drills, which President Donald Trump shortened from eleven days to five this year, citing his relationship with Kim Jong Un.

Pyongyang's latest test follows a short-range ballistic missile fired on August 12, according to regional defense officials. The Thursday launch marks the latest in a series of weapons tests by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as regional tensions persist over its nuclear and missile programs.

Diplomatic friction over arsenal

Kim Yo-jong, sister of the North Korean leader, said Wednesday that Pyongyang maintains "excellent" ties with Trump but stressed that Washington's hostile policy remains unchanged. "We are paying greater attention to the reality that joint military exercises between the US and South Korea have continued and are still ongoing, and this is an unmistakable expression of hostility toward North Korea," she said, referencing the drills set to conclude Friday.

South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young called Thursday for direct negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang as the critical first step toward halting the nuclear program. "The first gateway to stopping North Korea's nuclear program is a meeting between the two sides, and we should work hard to support it," Chung said, adding that halting Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions serves the best interests of all parties. South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back separately told lawmakers that Seoul estimates North Korea holds between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, significantly higher than the figure cited by Trump.