North Korea Launches Ballistic Missiles as US-South Korea Joint Military Exercise Commences
North Korea launched a number of ballistic missiles on Monday, the same day the United States and South Korea commenced their joint military exercise, Freedom Shield 2025. South Korea’s military detected the missile launches from Hwanghae province in the Yellow Sea at approximately 13:50 local time. The drill, including live, virtual, and field training, runs through March 20. The North regards such drills as a rehearsal for invasion and has responded with missile launches. Pyongyang’s foreign ministry condemned the exercise as “aggressive” and threatened an accidental war. This recent test of a missile follows recent strain, including a March 6 South Korean military mishap, in which bombs were accidentally dropped during an exercise and 31 were hurt. North and South Korea relations are strained, and both countries are technically still in a state of war as the Korean War ended in an armistice in 1953.
