North Korea Fires Missiles 250 Kilometres After U.S., South Korea and Japan Drill Ends

North Korea fired several short-range missiles into the sea off its east coast on Saturday morning, only one day after a joint military exercise by South Korea, the United States and Japan ended. The missiles were launched from the Wonsan area at around 5:20 a.m. and flew about 250 kilometres. South Korea and the United States are now studying the missiles closely, and they shared information with Japan from the start.

The exercise was called Freedom Edge. It lasted five days and was designed to help the three countries respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. But North Korea sees such exercises as a threat to its own security. After Freedom Edge began on Monday, North Korea's defence minister, Kim Song Gi, criticised it and warned that his country could answer strongly. South Korea, the United States and Japan say the exercise was defensive.

After the launch, South Korea's presidential National Security Office held an emergency meeting. It said the launches seriously broke U.N. Security Council rules and asked North Korea to stop such launches. The U.S. Pacific Command said it knew about the launches and was talking closely with its allies. It said the missiles did not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, territory or allies, but it repeated the U.S. promise to defend the United States and its allies in the region.

The launch shows why the drills are so sensitive. South Korea, the United States and Japan say the exercise is defensive, but North Korea says it is a threat. That is why South Korea, the United States and Japan are watching closely.