Seoul condemns Pyongyang's latest ballistic missile launch
South Korea on Saturday strongly criticized North Korea's latest suspected short-range ballistic missile launch, urging Pyongyang to cease actions that may escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula, according to Yonhap News.
South Korean response
The South Korean Defense Ministry issued a statement expressing deep regret over North Korea's launch and denouncement of the recent South Korea-US joint military exercises held from November 3 to 7 and the subsequent defense chiefs meeting.
“We strongly condemn North Korea’s recent ballistic missile launch and urge it to immediately halt all actions that heighten tensions between the two nations,” the ministry said.
The incident occurred a day after the South Korean military confirmed that a ballistic missile was fired toward the sea off North Korea’s east coast on Friday.
US reaction
In a separate statement, the US Forces Korea (USFK) affirmed it was aware of the launch and reiterated Washington’s commitment to defend its allies.
“We are consulting closely with the Republic of Korea. Our focus remains on maintaining the readiness needed to protect the US homeland and our regional allies,” the USFK stated.
Recent defense cooperation
On Monday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back visited the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) during Hegseth’s first official trip to South Korea. The following day, both sides conducted their annual security consultative meeting, emphasizing joint readiness and deterrence.
Author Summary
Seoul condemned North Korea's recent missile test, urging de-escalation, while the US reaffirmed its defense commitment during ongoing high-level security cooperation.