North Korea fires about 10 ballistic missiles [Yonhap News Photo]

North Korea fired approximately 10 ballistic missiles into the East Sea on the 14th.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, "Our military detected about 10 unidentified ballistic missiles launched from the Sunan area in North Korea towards the East Sea at approximately 1:20 PM today." They added, "The missiles flew approximately 350 kilometers, and the exact specifications are currently undergoing precise analysis by South Korea and the United States."

They continued, "South Korean and US intelligence agencies tracked the launch trends and closely shared relevant information with the US and Japanese sides." They also stated, "Under a robust ROK-US combined defense posture, we are maintaining the capability and readiness to overwhelmingly respond to any provocation while keeping a close watch on North Korea's various activities."

South Korean and US intelligence authorities are reportedly focusing their analysis on the possibility that North Korea may have launched its 600mm super-large multiple rocket launcher (KN-25), which it also fired on January 27th. The 600mm super-large multiple rocket launcher is a weapon system capable of attacking key facilities in the South.

North Korea has boasted about its 600mm multiple rocket launcher as a "strategic attack means," which is interpreted to mean it can be equipped with nuclear warheads. North Korea has claimed that its tactical nuclear warhead 'Hwasan-31' can be mounted on the 600mm multiple rocket launcher.

Through the 9th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, North Korea recently announced its intention to update its supplementary strike capabilities in addition to its nuclear forces, thus fully embarking on a North Korean-style CNI (conventional and nuclear integration) strategy. They also vowed to increase and deploy the 600mm multiple rocket launcher and other systems as key means of striking the South.

Today's ballistic missile launch by North Korea marks the first in 47 days since the launch into the East Sea on January 27th, and it is the third of the year.

The simultaneous launch of about 10 missiles at once is an unusual occurrence and is interpreted as a show of force.

North Korea-US leaders meeting in June 2019 [Yonhap News]

Today's ballistic missile launch drew particular attention as it occurred after US President Donald Trump expressed his willingness to engage in dialogue with North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un.

It was reported that President Trump, during a meeting with Prime Minister Kim Min-seok who visited the White House on the 13th (local time), stated that he "maintains a good relationship" with Chairman Kim Jong Un and inquired about Chairman Kim's desire to talk with the US and with him, seeking Prime Minister Kim's opinion.

President Trump had expressed his willingness for North Korea-US dialogue multiple times since returning to the White House in January of last year.

However, despite President Trump's "love call," North Korea responded with a ballistic missile launch less than a day later.

'Freedom Shield' exercises begin, Humphreys busy [Yonhap News]

Today's provocation by North Korea is also being interpreted as a backlash against the ROK-US joint military exercises 'Freedom Shield' (FS), which are currently underway from the 9th to the 19th.

While ROK and US forces are conducting the FS exercise, a theater-level combined exercise in preparation for contingencies on the Korean Peninsula, they have reduced field training exercises (FTX) to less than half of the previous year. However, North Korea has still protested, calling it a "northward invasion exercise."

Kim Yo Jong, Deputy Director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, issued a statement just one day after the start of the exercises, threatening that "the military show of force by hostile forces who encroach upon and approach the sovereign security zone of our state could inadvertently lead to unimaginably dire consequences."