North Korea resumes missile tests days before Trump's visit to South Korea

North Korea carried out its first ballistic missile tests in five months on Wednesday, days before US President Donald Trump and other leaders are expected to meet in South Korea and ahead of a major regional summit, local officials in Seoul say.

South Korea’s military detected multiple suspected short-range ballistic missiles launched from an area south of the North Korean capital Pyongyang, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

It said the weapons flew about 350 kilometres each in a northeastern direction, but didn’t give details on where they landed.

Wednesday’s ballistic missile launches were the first of their kind since the country, on 8 May, tested short-range systems that simulated nuclear counterstrikes against US and South Korean forces.

They were also the first ballistic missile testing activities since South Korean President Lee Jae-myung took office in June, with a promise to push to restore peace on the Korean peninsula.

Asia-Pacific summit

Next week, South Korea hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC summit, an annual event that promotes economic integration and trade.

Trump was expected to come to Gyeongju ahead of the summit for bilateral meetings with leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Lee. However, South Korean officials say Trump is unlikely to attend APEC’s main conference set for 30 October to 1 November.

Experts had warned North Korea could conduct provocative missile tests before or during the APEC summit to underscore its commitment to gain recognition as a nuclear-armed state.

It is believed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would need that status to call for the UN to lift the economic sanctions punishing it for its weapons programme.

Why is Kim ramping up missile testing?

Since his high-stakes nuclear negotiations with Trump collapsed in 2019 over disagreements about denuclearisation and US-led economic sanctions, Kim has been rapidly speeding up weapons testing.

But last month, the North Korean leader suggested he could return to talks if the US drops its demand for North Korea’s denuclearisation, after Trump repeatedly expressed his hopes for new diplomacy.

Earlier this month, Kim displayed a new intercontinental ballistic missile at a military parade attended by Chinese, Russian and other top officials.

The parade highlighted Kim’s growing diplomatic footing and his relentless drive to build a reliable arsenal of nuclear missiles targeting the US and its allies.

North Korea’s state media said the 10 October parade featured the Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile, which it described as the country’s “most powerful nuclear strategic weapon system.”

The ICBM, according to observers, is intended to carry several nuclear warheads to overcome US missile defences, and North Korea may test-launch it in the upcoming months.