North Korea launches ballistic missile amid South Korea-US military drills

On March 10, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) launched multiple ballistic missiles toward the Yellow Sea at a time when the US and South Korea held annual military exercises.

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) announced that it detected the launch in the area near Hwangju County, North Hwanghae Province (North Korea) at around 1:15 p.m. on March 10. The South Korean military added that Pyongyang may have launched a short-range ballistic missile (CRBM), a weapon with a range of less than 300 km, Yonhap reported.

The JCS said it has stepped up surveillance and is fully vigilant, while cooperating closely with the US.

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South Korean and US troops began their annual Freedom Shield exercise, which began on March 10 and will last 11 days. North Korea has long denounced joint exercises between South Korea and its ally.

North Korea has also often responded to the exercises with missile tests, with Pyongyang saying Seoul and Washington would “pay dearly” for dangerous provocations.

North Korea's Foreign Ministry on March 10 condemned the drills as a serious security crisis. South Korea and the US rejected the statement, saying the drills were defensive in nature.

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March 10 is considered the first time North Korea has tested a ballistic missile since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House. Pyongyang launched several short-range ballistic missiles on January 14. Most recently, North Korea launched a strategic cruise missile on February 26.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/trieu-tien-phong-ten-lua-dan-dao-giua-luc-han-quoc-my-tap-tran-185250310160101814.htm