According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, North Korea may have launched what is believed to be a ballistic missile. They have asked aircraft and ships to monitor the situation and, in case of falling debris, to avoid approaching it and report it to the maritime security agency, according to a statement issued by them. They noted that no confirmed reports of damage have been received.
According to the Yonhap news agency, this is North Korea’s seventh missile launch in 2025 and the second since South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s administration took office. Only 16 days have passed since the previous missile launch. The agency noted that “the launch appears to be a response to recent moves made by Washington against North Korea.”
During his visit to South Korea last week, Trump reiterated his willingness to sit down with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, raising expectations that they might reach a last-minute agreement for a meeting. Trump had previously met Kim at Panmunjom village on the military border between the two Koreas in 2019 during his first term as U.S. President when he was visiting the region.
Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea stated that the Trump administration “provokes their displeasure” by imposing sanctions on officials and institutions in the country for alleged money laundering.
