SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea announced on Friday that it had conducted test launches of new anti-aircraft missiles, while issuing threats against the U.S. and South Korea over their joint military exercises which it perceives as preparations for invasion. The official Korean Central News Agency reported that leader Kim Jong Un supervised the tests on Thursday, labeling the missiles as a significant addition to North Korea’s defense weaponry.
These missile launches mark North Korea’s sixth weapons testing activity this year, coinciding with the conclusion of the annual Freedom Shield command post exercise conducted by the U.S. and South Korean militaries. The 11-day training, which included diverse field exercises alongside the Freedom Shield drills, was the allies’ first major joint military operation since President Donald Trump took office in January.
While U.S. and South Korean officials characterize their joint drills as defensive in nature, North Korea condemns them as a serious security threat. Following the commencement of this year’s Freedom Shield exercise on March 10, North Korea responded by launching several ballistic missiles into the sea.
In a statement issued on Friday, North Korea’s Defense Ministry accused the U.S. and South Korea of engaging in simulations aimed at destroying underground tunnels in North Korea to eliminate its nuclear weapons. The ministry warned of consequences should similar actions be repeated, emphasizing the potential grave repercussions of such provocative behavior.
Despite Trump’s expressed willingness to engage in nuclear diplomacy with Kim, North Korea has not publicly responded to these overtures. With Kim currently focused on supporting Russia in its conflict with Ukraine, experts believe that any potential dialogue with Trump may be delayed until after the resolution of the ongoing war.
Reports from Russian state news agency Tass indicated that Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu has arrived in Pyongyang for a meeting with Kim. This visit follows previous engagements between Shoigu and Kim in 2023 and 2024, during which they discussed expanding cooperation.
