Seoul:Senior diplomats from South Korea, the United States, and Japan engaged in telephone consultations on Friday to discuss North Korea's recent ballistic missile launches. The discussions were aimed at sharing information and formulating responses, as confirmed by South Korea's foreign ministry.
According to Yonhap News Agency, on Thursday, North Korea launched approximately 10 short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff provided this information, while North Korea's state media reported the firing of a 600-millimeter multiple rocket launcher, tactical cruise missiles, and air-to-surface missiles.
Baek Yong-jin, director general for Korean Peninsula policy at Seoul's foreign ministry, communicated with David Wilezol, deputy assistant secretary for Northeast Asia at the U.S. State Department, and Takashi Ariyoshi, a senior official at Japan's foreign ministry. The three officials exchanged relevant information and discussed potential future responses, as stated in a ministry press release.
The foreign affairs authorities of the three nations have established a channel to promptly share information and assessments in response to North Korea's ballistic missile activities. North Korea's missile launches occurred a week after South Korea proposed military talks with Pyongyang to address border demarcation disputes, amid rising tensions following a land mine blast in the Demilitarized Zone that injured three South Korean soldiers.