North Korea fires ballistic missiles again, flexing muscle amid Iran war
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- North Korea launched a ballistic missile from near Sinpo, traveling about 140 km into the sea, its seventh launch this year and fourth in April.
- Kim Ki‑jung, former South Korean presidential security adviser, said the launch was a self‑defence show and pre‑emptive pressure before US‑South Korea dialogue.
- President Lee Jae Myung expressed interest in talks with Kim Jong Un and recently conveyed regret over South Korean drone incursions, earning rare praise from Pyongyang.
- President Donald Trump is preparing for a summit in China next month, with the missile launch occurring amid the heightened U.S.–Israeli war with Iran.
- IAEA chief Rafael Grossi warned that North Korea has made "very serious" advances in nuclear weapons capability, including a probable new uranium enrichment facility.
- Japan's government posted that missiles likely fell near the Korean Peninsula’s east coast, with no incursion into Japan’s exclusive economic zone confirmed.
- South Korea's Blue House convened an emergency security meeting, calling the launch a provocation that violated UN Security Council resolutions and urging Pyongyang to stop.
- Crisis Group reports that EU and NATO members are grappling with the war in Iran, adding regional tension to North Korea’s missile activity.
- Al Jazeera covered the missile launch, highlighting the heightened tension surrounding the event.
Why it matters: South Korea's Blue House convened an emergency security meeting after the seventh missile launch, 140 km, increasing diplomatic pressure on Pyongyang ahead of US‑South Korea talks.
