North Korea launched more than ten missiles and raised tensions with the US and South Korea

North Korea launched more than ten ballistic missiles into the sea on Saturday, in a new show of force that increases tensions in East Asia. The launch came a few days after South Korea and the United States began joint military exercises aimed at strengthening their readiness for potential threats from the Pyongyang regime

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According to the South Korean military, the missiles were fired from areas near the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, around 1:20 p.m., and traveled approximately 340 kilometers before falling into the Sea of Japan, outside the Japanese exclusive economic zone. Tokyo authorities confirmed that they detected multiple projectiles and said that none hit

Japanese territory.

The Japanese Defense Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, said that his country will continue to analyze information about the launches in coordination with the United States and South Korea, while maintaining vigilance in the event of any eventuality. Japan has warned that North Korea's missile tests pose a threat to regional security and to the international community.

The launches coincide with the development of the annual “Freedom Shield” military exercises, carried out by South Korean and United States forces. Both countries maintain that these maneuvers are defensive in nature, but Pyongyang considers them a test for a possible invasion and usually reacts with weapons tests

or strong criticism.

Days before the launches, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, condemned the exercises and warned that they could cause “unimaginably terrible consequences”. North Korea has used this type of language numerous times to denounce military maneuvers in Washington and Seoul

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The episode also comes amid mixed signals in the diplomatic arena. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has recently expressed his willingness to resume the dialogue with Kim Jong Un.

According to South Korean officials, Trump believes that a new meeting with the North Korean leader could be positive, even during a possible trip to China to meet with President Xi Jinping.

Despite these potential diplomatic initiatives, North Korea continues to make progress in developing its missile and nuclear weapons program. The country has been carrying out tests for more than two decades with the objective of perfecting systems capable of carrying nuclear warheads. As a result, Pyongyang has faced sanctions from the United Nations Security Council since 2006

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Saturday's tests stand out for the number of missiles launched in a single day, something unusual compared to other demonstrations of force by the regime. The fact reinforces the international community's concerns about North Korea's growing military capacity and the impact that these actions may have on stability in the region

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