North Korea launches missile amid Blinken's talks with South Korean officials

Photo: Reuters

North Korea launched a ballistic missile into the sea on Monday, coinciding with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Seoul for meetings with South Korean officials. The missile was fired eastward around noon local time (03:00 GMT), shortly after Blinken met with South Korea’s Acting President Choi Sang-mok.

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South Korea’s military reported that the missile traveled approximately 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) before landing in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. In response, South Korea heightened its surveillance and maintained vigilance for further launches. Japan confirmed that the missile landed outside its exclusive economic zone and stated that no damage to ships or aircraft was reported.

At a joint press conference, Antony Blinken and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul condemned the launch. Blinken described it as another violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions. This missile launch is North Korea's first since November 5, when it fired a series of short-range missiles. The timing of this test is notable, coming just weeks before Donald Trump is set to take office as U.S. president.

The political backdrop in South Korea has added complexity to the situation. Last month, South Korea’s National Assembly voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol following his controversial decision to declare martial law in December. Yoon has been suspended from duties, and his impeachment trial is currently under review by the Constitutional Court. Acting President Choi Sang-mok has since taken over leadership.

During their meeting, Choi assured Blinken of South Korea’s commitment to the agreements reached during the 2023 Camp David summit. At the summit, South Korea, the United States, and Japan had pledged to strengthen their intelligence-sharing efforts and deepen trilateral cooperation to counter threats from North Korea.

Blinken reiterated the United States' “ironclad commitment” to defending South Korea and highlighted the importance of maintaining strong bilateral and trilateral alliances. Choi’s office later released a statement emphasizing South Korea’s dedication to upholding its security policies and working closely with its allies.

In addition to addressing the missile launch, Blinken voiced concerns over growing cooperation between North Korea and Russia. He suggested that Moscow might be providing advanced space and satellite technology to Pyongyang in exchange for military support in the Ukraine conflict. According to Blinken, more than 1,000 North Korean troops have been killed or injured in the war in Ukraine, and there is evidence suggesting that Russia could soon recognize North Korea as a nuclear power.