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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Conflict & Security

North Korea Launches Missiles After Denying Talks with Trump

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • North Korea launched 10 short-range missiles into the sea off its east coast, a day after Kim Yo Jong denied knowledge of potential talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.
  • Trump had announced he was in contact with Kim Jong Un and expected to meet later in the year, a claim that appeared to catch Pyongyang off guard.
  • Analysts suggest North Korea, bolstered by alliances with Russia and China, is in a strong negotiating position and unlikely to engage in dialogue without significant concessions, especially regarding its nuclear program.

North Korea launched 10 short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast on Thursday, a day after Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un, stated Pyongyang was "completely unaware of" any plans for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump had announced earlier that he was in contact with Kim and anticipated a meeting later in the year, a statement that seemingly surprised Pyongyang.

Pyongyang launched 10 short-range missiles that landed in the sea off North Korea's east coast.

— South Korean militaryReporting the details of North Korea's missile launch.

Kim Yo Jong, director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, dismissed Trump's decision to scale back annual military drills with South Korea as "unworthy of comment and [we] have no interest in it at all." She further referred to South Korea as a "puppet" and indicated that only a complete cancellation of the drills would be considered a "goodwill measure." This missile launch, the third in two weeks, follows Trump's overtures and underscores Pyongyang's stance that downscaling exercises is insufficient.

Pyongyang was 'completely unaware of' plans for discussions.

— Kim Yo JongNorth Korean leader's sister denying knowledge of potential talks with the U.S.

Experts believe North Korea is currently in a strong negotiating position, partly due to its close security and economic ties with Russia and China. Professor Choo Jae-woo of Kyung Hee University noted that Pyongyang is unlikely to agree to talks without substantial guarantees, especially concerning its nuclear program. "North Korea is not interested in dialogue because Kim was humiliated in 2019 when Trump walked out of their talks in Hanoi," Choo stated, referring to the previous summit that collapsed over U.S. demands for denuclearization. North Korea has since solidified its alliances, receiving military technology and other benefits from Russia under international sanctions. Professor Leif-Eric Easley of Ewha Womans University suggested that Pyongyang is unlikely to agree to immediate talks with the U.S., especially as it continues to supply ammunition and missiles to Russia for its war in Ukraine.

Trump's announcement on Wednesday that he is in contact with Kim and that the two leaders would meet later in the year appears to have caught Pyongyang off guard.

— Tempo.coAnalysis of the timing and impact of Trump's statement on North Korea.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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