North Korea Fires 10 Missiles Toward Eastern Sea Amid Border Tensions with South

North Korea fired about 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters Thursday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff reported, each traveling roughly 250 kilometers. The launches followed leader Kim Jong Un's Saturday trip to the Chinese border city of Dandong, where he visited a memorial to Chinese support during the 1950-53 Korean War and met top Chinese Communist Party official Wang Huning to discuss bilateral cooperation. It marked Kim's sixth visit to China since taking power in late 2011.

The sequence of rising friction on the peninsula stretches back to last month's land mine blasts near the border, which injured three South Korean soldiers. Seoul accused North Korea of planting the mines south of the military demarcation line and demanded an apology; Pyongyang denied responsibility and warned of retaliation if provoked. South Korea's military said it maintained readiness to respond under its alliance with the United States, and Japan's Defense Ministry reported detecting a suspected ballistic missile launch.

Last week, North Korea announced it would restart propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts and place new weapons systems on alert along the border, citing what it called repeated warning shots by South Korean troops. Seoul then proposed talks on clarifying the border to prevent accidental clashes; North Korea has not responded. Associated Press journalists visiting a South Korean border town earlier this week observed North Korean artillery guns on the other side of the line that had not previously been visible.

Recent weapons tests by North Korea have included submarine-launched cruise missiles and hypersonic missiles. Experts cited in the report said the country likely sought to pressure the United States for concessions as President Donald Trump has expressed interest in restoring diplomacy with Kim. Kim has recently moved to strengthen ties with China after years of prioritizing Russia, sending troops and ammunition to support its war against Ukraine. At the Dandong memorial, Kim said North Korea will firmly carry forward what he called the invincible friendship with China.