SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea launched several ballistic missiles toward the sea on Saturday, neighboring countries said, one day after the United States, South Korea and Japan concluded a trilateral military exercise that Pyongyang considers a threat to its security.
South Korea’s military reported detecting the launches from Wonsan, a coastal area on the country’s eastern side. Seoul has increased its surveillance posture and is closely sharing information about the launches with the United States and Japan.
U.S. Pacific Command said the launches did not present an immediate threat to U.S. territory or its regional allies. It reaffirmed its commitment to defending the United States and its allies in the Indo-Pacific.
South Korea’s military described the five-day Freedom Edge exercise as defensive and intended to improve the three countries’ joint response to threats posed by North Korea’s nuclear capabilities.
Hours after the exercise began on Monday, North Korean Defense Minister Kim Song Gi condemned it and warned that Pyongyang was capable of taking “strong and resolute countermeasures from the standpoint of power.”