North Korea fires 10 missiles toward eastern sea
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- North Korea fired about 10 ballistic missiles toward the eastern sea from the Sunan area, with the weapons flying roughly 350 kilometers (220 miles), according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- Japan's Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said the missiles landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, with no reported damage to planes or ships.
- South Korea's military has stepped up surveillance and is sharing information with the US and Japan while maintaining readiness against possible additional launches.
- The launches came during the 11-day Freedom Shield exercise, a US-South Korea computer-simulated command post drill running through March 19, paired with a field training program called Warrior Shield.
- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's office declined to confirm reports the US is relocating THAAD interceptor missiles from Seongju to the Middle East, asserting such a move would not affect defense posture against North Korea.
- Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of Kim Jong Un, criticized the drills on Tuesday and warned that any challenge to the North's safety would bring 'terrible consequences,' without directly referencing the Iran war.
- South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met President Trump in Washington hours before the launches, expressing hope for renewed diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang — an outreach the missile salvo appeared to undercut.
Why it matters: The launches came hours after Seoul's prime minister met Trump in Washington pitching renewed diplomacy, effectively undercutting that outreach before it could take shape. South Korea's president also could not confirm reports that the US is relocating THAAD interceptors from Seongju to the Middle East, even as the 11-day Freedom Shield exercise runs through March 19.
