North Korea Fires Multiple Ballistic Missiles; Experts See It as Rejection of Peace Overtures
North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles, which experts interpret as a rejection of South Korea's peace overtures. South Korean military detected launches from Pyongyang and Wonsan, with missiles flying approximately 240 kilometers. The article also details past drone incidents and diplomatic exchanges between the two Koreas, with North Korea's foreign ministry calling South Korea "the most hostile country."
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- 📰 Published: April 8, 2026 at 13:09
- 🔍 Collected: April 8, 2026 at 14:00 (51 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 20:36 (174h 36m after Collected)
Seoul, April 8 (AFP) — South Korea's military detected "an unidentified projectile launched from the Pyongyang area yesterday," about an hour after it said it had detected "multiple unidentified ballistic missiles launched from North Korea's Wonsan area towards the East Sea (Sea of Japan)," which flew about 240 kilometers.
Experts believe the missile launches are North Korea's latest rejection of South Korea's peace overtures. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has been trying to mend ties with North Korea since taking office last year and criticized the previous government for allegedly sending civilian drones into Pyongyang to spread propaganda.
Lee Jae-myung expressed regret over the drone incident, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, called Lee Jae-myung's statement a wise move. Kim Yo Jong said on April 6, "Our government believes this is a very fortunate and wise act for itself."
However, a senior official from North Korea's foreign ministry yesterday still called South Korea "the most hostile country to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea." The official dismissed South Korean media's interpretation of Kim Yo Jong's comments on Lee Jae-myung as a positive signal as "absurd."
Jang Kum-chol, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Korea, said in an English statement released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA): "If our swift response is interpreted as a 'rare friendly gesture'... this will only become a foolish and illusory misinterpretation that will shock the world."
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol was on trial for his government's alleged dispatch of drones into North Korea, intending to provoke a North Korean response and use the opportunity to declare martial law. During Yoon Suk-yeol's tenure, inter-Korean relations plummeted. North Korea retaliated by releasing balloons filled with trash and even animal feces in response to South Korea's leaflets sent north. (Compiled by Xu Ruicheng) 1150408
Experts believe the missile launches are North Korea's latest rejection of South Korea's peace overtures. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has been trying to mend ties with North Korea since taking office last year and criticized the previous government for allegedly sending civilian drones into Pyongyang to spread propaganda.
Lee Jae-myung expressed regret over the drone incident, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, called Lee Jae-myung's statement a wise move. Kim Yo Jong said on April 6, "Our government believes this is a very fortunate and wise act for itself."
However, a senior official from North Korea's foreign ministry yesterday still called South Korea "the most hostile country to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea." The official dismissed South Korean media's interpretation of Kim Yo Jong's comments on Lee Jae-myung as a positive signal as "absurd."
Jang Kum-chol, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Korea, said in an English statement released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA): "If our swift response is interpreted as a 'rare friendly gesture'... this will only become a foolish and illusory misinterpretation that will shock the world."
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol was on trial for his government's alleged dispatch of drones into North Korea, intending to provoke a North Korean response and use the opportunity to declare martial law. During Yoon Suk-yeol's tenure, inter-Korean relations plummeted. North Korea retaliated by releasing balloons filled with trash and even animal feces in response to South Korea's leaflets sent north. (Compiled by Xu Ruicheng) 1150408