North Korea fired several ballistic missiles into the sea on Monday in what was the latest display of the communist country’s military capabilities. The missile launches were reportedly in response to the joint military drills conducted in the region between the U.S. and South Korea.
Intelligence officials in South Korea acknowledged the missile firings and claimed they came from North Korea’s Hwanghae province, according to reports. It was the fifth ballistic missile launch in 2025 and the sixth since November 2024. In the past, North Korea categorized the rocket launches as an act of deterrence, a symbolic display of disapproval of military cooperation between South Korea, the U.S., and other allies in Asia.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reportedly described the missiles as close-range but did not provide any information on how long they were in the air or the distance they traveled. North Korea’s show of military might came on the day the U.S. and South Korea commenced their annual Freedom Shield joint military drills.
“Freedom Shield is an 11-day exercise conducted by the Republic of Korea and the United States consisting of training to reflect the Korea Theater of Operations – a combined, joint, multi-domain, and interagency operating environment. The exercise schedule is March 10-21,” according to the Eighth Army Public Affairs Office.
“Field training events throughout FS25 include urban combat operations, field hospital operations, mass casualty treatment and evacuation, field artillery exercises, air assault training, wet gap crossing, air defense artillery asset deployment and validation, and a joint assault exercise with the U.S. Marine Corps,” the Army added.
The drills sharpen military readiness in the area while also rehearsing several armed conflict skills between the U.S. and South Korea in case of dire circumstances. The exercises allow the allies to get used to working together while simulating emergency war-like situations.
“Field training events throughout FS25 include urban combat operations, field hospital operations, mass casualty treatment and evacuation, field artillery exercises, air assault training, wet gap crossing, air defense artillery asset deployment and validation, and a joint assault exercise with the U.S. Marine Corps,” the Eighth Army reported. “The command and control portion with the ROK Army allows for seamless coordination and combined operations, enhancing Eighth Army’s overall defense capabilities.”
“These multi-domain training exercises strengthens interoperability, reinforce the alliance’s combined defense posture, and increase combat readiness and lethality,” the unit said.
Military officials evaluated North Korea’s missile launches as not posing an imminent danger to its members in the area or the allies in the region. Nevertheless, they reinforced they would continue to monitor future actions from North Korea and evaluate any accordingly.
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“We are aware of the DPRK’s multiple ballistic missile launches and are consulting closely with the Republic of Korea and Japan, as well as other regional allies and partners,” read a statement from U.S. Indo-Pacific Command about North Korea’s missile launch. “The United States condemns these actions and calls on the DPRK to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts.”
“While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, or territory, or to our allies, we continue to monitor the situation,” the statement noted. “The U.S. commitments to the defense of the ROK and Japan remain ironclad.”