North Korea fires missiles into sea as South Korea, US hold military drills

North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday, according to South Korea's military. The Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that approximately 10 missiles were launched from Pyongyang toward North Korea's eastern waters around 5 p.m. local time.

South Korea's presidential national security council convened an emergency meeting following the launches. The council issued a statement urging North Korea to cease ballistic missile launches, which are prohibited by UN Security Council resolutions. South Korea has increased its surveillance and is coordinating closely with the United States and Japan. Japan's prime minister's office also confirmed detecting a suspected missile launch.

The missile firings come as South Korea and the U.S. are conducting their annual military training drills, which have been shortened this year. U.S. President Donald Trump had previously announced plans to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year. While Washington and Seoul maintain their drills are defensive, North Korea views them as an invasion rehearsal and frequently responds with weapons tests.

Thursday's launches also coincided with a visit to South Korea by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. During his visit, Wang urged South Korea to avoid taking sides between Beijing and Washington. He stated that the U.S. should abandon its "hostile" policy toward North Korea to de-escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula. China hopes South Korea will pursue "genuine strategic autonomy" and refrain from "bloc confrontation."

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The fundamental solution to the tensions on the Korean Peninsula lies in addressing the root causes of the problem and urging the United States to abandon its hostile policy toward North Korea.