North Korea launches missiles toward eastern waters in second launch of year, South says

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea tested several missiles toward its eastern waters on Tuesday, the South Korean military said, as it continued its weapons demonstrations ahead of Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the short-range ballistic missiles were fired from an interior area in the north and traveled about 250 kilometers (155 miles) before landing in waters between the peninsula Korea and Japan.

The joint leaders said the South Korean military had increased its surveillance while sharing launch information with the U.S. and Japanese militaries. He said he strongly condemned the test, calling it a “clear provocation” that poses a serious threat to peace and stability in the region.

This is North Korea’s second launch in 2025, following a ballistic launch last week.

North Korea says Jan. 6 test was a new intermediate-range hypersonic missile designed to strike distant targets in the Pacific as leader Kim Jong Un pledged to further expand his collection of nuclear-capable weapons to counter rival nations.

North Korea is coming off a torrid year of weapons testing. Systems demonstrated in 2024 included solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to strike the U.S. mainland and various shorter-range missiles designed to overwhelm South Korea’s missile defenses. There are concerns that its military capabilities could advance further through technology transfers from Russia, as both countries align on war in Ukraine.

At a year-end policy conference, Kim pledged to implement the “toughest” anti-U.S. policies and criticized the Biden administration’s efforts to strengthen security cooperation with Seoul and Tokyo, which he described as a “nuclear military bloc of aggression.”

North Korean state media did not elaborate on Kim’s political plans or mention specific comments about Trump. During his first presidential term, Trump met with Kim three times to discuss North Korea’s nuclear program.

Even if Trump returns to the White House, a quick resumption of diplomacy with North Korea may be unlikely. Kim’s strengthened position – built on his expanded nuclear arsenal, deepening his alliance with Russia and weakening enforcement of U.S. international sanctions — presents new challenges to resolving the nuclear standoff, experts say.