North Korea fires possible missile towards sea during US-South Korea drills

On Saturday, North Korea launched a projectile into the sea, according to reports from South Korea and Japan. Tokyo suggested that the projectile might have been a ballistic missile, coinciding with military drills being held by the U.S. and South Korea. The South Korean military reported that the projectile was aimed at the waters off North Korea’s eastern coast but did not provide additional information. Japan's coast guard indicated that the projectile seemed to have landed in the sea, outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone, as reported by NHK, Japan's public broadcaster, citing defense ministry officials. Five days prior, Seoul and Washington began significant military exercises, which they claim are solely defensive and meant to prepare for potential threats from North Korea. North Korea often reacts strongly to these drills, viewing them as rehearsals for possible attacks by the U.S. and South Korea. On Thursday, the Prime Minister of South Korea met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington to explore ways to restart talks with North Korea, which have been stalled since 2019.