North Korea Fires Missiles Before Potential Xi Visit; China Refuses Comment

(Central News Agency, Taipei, 26th) Amid rumors that Chinese President Xi Jinping may visit North Korea as early as this week, the South Korean military reported that North Korea fired ballistic missiles and multiple rocket launchers into the Yellow Sea today, not ruling out the use of suicide drones. However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded to related questions today by stating that there are "different views on the definition of the projectiles" among relevant parties, and China has no new comments.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry held a regular press conference in the afternoon. According to CCTV, Mao Ning made the above remarks when answering a question from South Korean media about China's stance on North Korea's move, which violates UN Security Council resolutions.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff stated today that the military detected North Korea firing several short-range ballistic missiles from the vicinity of Chongju, North Pyongan Province, toward the Yellow Sea around 1:00 PM. The flight distance was approximately 80 kilometers, and in a rare move, multiple rocket launchers were fired simultaneously, with the possibility of suicide drones not being ruled out.

The South Korean military assesses that North Korea is referencing experiences from the Russia-Ukraine war to demonstrate its ability to penetrate air defense networks and strike through mixed launches. At the same time, South Korean military radar detected that the flight trajectories of some projectiles differed from standard ballistic missiles or multiple rocket launchers, suggesting they might be a new weapon system, though further analysis is needed for an accurate judgment.

This is the first time in 37 days that North Korea has fired ballistic missiles, and the 8th time this year. Because media outlets like Yonhap have reported that Xi Jinping may visit North Korea as early as this week, it has received particular attention. Analysts point out that if Xi Jinping does visit North Korea, it would be his first visit since June 2019 and could become a turning point in the situation on the Korean Peninsula.