N.Korea fires ballistic missiles after Trump signals possible Kim meeting

North Korea has launched more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea after US President Donald Trump signalled a possible meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The launches came as South Korea and the United States conduct a scaled-back version of their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises following Trump’s order to reduce the scope of the drills, Caliber.Az reports, citing French media.

Pyongyang has repeatedly condemned joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises as preparations for an invasion and has frequently carried out missile tests around the time of the drills.

Trump, who has sought to revive the relationship he says he established with Kim during his first term, told reporters at the White House on Wednesday that he intended to meet the North Korean leader later this year.

The US president made clear that it was important to "get along" with Kim, claiming that North Korea now possesses 57 "very powerful" nuclear weapons. South Korean estimates put the number at around 80 to 120.

Several hours after Trump’s remarks, North Korea launched more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles from the area around Pyongyang toward the East Sea at approximately 5 p.m. local time, according to South Korea’s military.

The missiles travelled about 300 kilometres (186 miles), the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, adding that South Korean and U.S. authorities were conducting a detailed assessment of their characteristics.

South Korea’s presidential office held an emergency security meeting and condemned the launches as violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions, while ordering the military to maintain heightened readiness.

Trump’s renewed interest in meeting Kim, combined with his decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea, has raised concerns among U.S. allies in Asia. It has also fueled speculation that the president may be seeking a foreign policy breakthrough as the war in Iran continues to stall.

Following the missile launches, Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leader’s powerful sister, welcomed the reduction in the military exercises but mocked South Korea’s security policy.

She described Trump’s decision as "an evident disaster brought by the unrealistic and anachronistic security outlook" pursued by Seoul, while accusing South Korea of maintaining a "master-and-servant" relationship with the United States.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov