North Korea fires ballistic missiles amid shortened US-South Korea drills

On Thursday, August 20, 2026, North Korea conducted missile tests, launching projectiles towards the sea to the east of the Korean Peninsula. While initial reports indicated a single ballistic missile, subsequent information from South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that over ten short-range ballistic missiles were fired from the region of the North Korean capital. The projectiles traveled approximately 300 kilometers before falling outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

These launches occurred against a backdrop of ongoing joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea. U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a significant reduction in American participation, leading to the drills being shortened by six days to conclude on Friday. Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, condemned the exercises as evidence of a persistent "hostile policy" and stated that South Korea was receiving "what it deserves" by blindly following the United States. The Korean Peninsula remains technically at war as no peace treaty was signed following the 1950-53 conflict.