{"id":2647221,"date":"2026-08-20T06:45:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T10:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/north-korea-launches-10-ballistic-missiles-as-us-and-south-korea-continue-joint-military-drills\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T06:48:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T10:48:24","slug":"north-korea-launches-10-ballistic-missiles-as-us-and-south-korea-continue-joint-military-drills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/north-korea-launches-10-ballistic-missiles-as-us-and-south-korea-continue-joint-military-drills\/","title":{"rendered":"North Korea launches 10 ballistic missiles as US and South Korea continue joint military drills"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnorth-korea-launches-10-ballistic-missiles-as-us-and-south-korea-continue-joint-military-drills%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2647221&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>North Korea launched ten ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Thursday evening, originating from the Pyongyang area, amid rising tensions with South Korea, which is conducting it&#8217;s annual joint military drills with the United States. These launches occurred shortly after South Korea&#8217;s joint exercises, which were shortened from ten too five days following a decision by U.S. President Donald trump to reduce the scope and cost of the drills, citing cost concerns and South Korea\u2019s lack of assistance in other military operations. North Korea\u2019s missile tests drew condemnation from South Korea, which increased surveillance and held an emergency security meeting. The launch also came less than a day after Trump announced plans to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later in 2026. The missile launches violate U.N. Security Council resolutions, and South Korea&#8217;s national security council strongly urged North Korea to cease such actions. The situation highlights ongoing regional tensions and diplomatic complexities involving the U.S., South Korea, and North Korea.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/north-korea\/\">North Korea<\/a> fired 10 ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Thursday evening, according to South Korea\u2019s Joint Chiefs of Staff. The missiles were <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.koreajoongangdaily.com\/korea\/north-korea-fires-suspected-ballistic-missile\/12835610\">reportedly<\/a> launched shortly after 5 p.m. local time, and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/north-korea-fires-possible-ballistic-missiles-toward-sea\/a-78440280\">originated<\/a> from the \u201cPyongyang area.\u201d The launches come amid a rise in tensions between North and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/south-korea\/\">South Korea<\/a> as the latter conducts its annual Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military drills with the United States. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The launches also come after two recent developments pertaining to geopolitical relations between the United States and North Korea. First, President Donald Trump announced earlier this week that the U.S. was cutting back the annual joint military exercise between the U.S. and South Korea. The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise typically runs for 10 days each year. However, Trump decided to shorten it to five days. The drills began on Monday and are now scheduled to conclude on Friday, August 21. <\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4694130\/chinese-national-arrested-voter-fraud-casting-ballot-in-2024-election\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Chinese national arrested for voter fraud after casting ballot in 2024 election<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4686809\/national-debt-40-trillion-grim-milestone\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>National debt crosses $40 trillion in grim milestone<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4677709\/september-social-security-direct-payment-994-goes-out-13-days\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>September Social Security direct payment worth $994 goes out in 13 days<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBased on direction from the President and Secretary of War, the Department has substantially reduced Exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield while continuing training that enhances tactical capability,\u201d <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/08\/18\/asia\/trump-us-south-korea-military-exercises-intl-hnk\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a> a Pentagon official about the training exercise reduction.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAssociated live-training events have been reduced, with certain events canceled or converted to simulations. These <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/north-korea-shrugs-off-trumps-scaled-back-drills-with-south-korea-saying-it-changes-nothing\/\" title=\"... Korea shrugs off ...\u2019s scaled-back drills with ..., saying it changes nothing\">adjustments preserve essential readiness<\/a> and training objectives,\u201d <strong><\/strong>said the official. \u201cThere will be no degradation to U.S. training objectives.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Truth cited the cost of the military exercises and the fact that South Korea wouldn\u2019t help the U.S. with military operations in Iran. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea,\u201d Trump <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TrumpTruthOnX\/status\/2089096795855172085?s=46\" rel=\"noopener\">posted<\/a> to his Truth Social account on Sunday. \u201cThese exercises are not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America (as usual!), but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a Country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhile somewhat unrelated (?), I recently asked the President of South Korea if they would like to join us in the Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and they said, \u201cNo thanks!\u201d Trump added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4692942\/south-korea-not-notified-trump-scale-back-joint-military-exercises\/\"><strong>SOUTH KOREA SAYS OFFICIALS \u2018WERE NOT NOTIFIED IN ADVANCE\u2019 OF TRUMP\u2019S SCALING BACK OF JOINT EXERCISES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">North Korea\u2019s missile launches also came less than a day after Trump announced he would meet with Kim Jong Un, the country\u2019s supreme leader, later in 2026. The missile launches were also detected by Japan\u2019s prime minister and Coast Guard, according to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/north-korea-fires-possible-ballistic-missiles-toward-sea\/a-78440280\" rel=\"noopener\">reports<\/a>. South Korea reportedly \u201cbolstered its surveillance,\u201d and the country\u2019s national security council <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.military.com\/south-korea-says-north-korea-fires-about-10-short-range-ballistic-missiles-toward-sea\" rel=\"noopener\">convened<\/a> an emergency meeting regarding the launches.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ballistic missile launches are prohibited under U.N. Security Council resolutions. After South Korea\u2019s JCS confirmed the country\u2019s missile launches, its national security council <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.military.com\/south-korea-says-north-korea-fires-about-10-short-range-ballistic-missiles-toward-sea\" rel=\"noopener\">issued<\/a> a statement condemning the launches and urging North Korea to stop them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>N. Korea fires 10 missiles amid rising tensions with S. Korea<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2677,"featured_media":2647222,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-collage-pjeww4ajo-1775640561112-e1775640601470.jpg?1786374754&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[40383,63009,69709,32109,84421],"class_list":["post-2647221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-ballistic-missiles","tag-international-security","tag-military-drills","tag-north-korea","tag-us-south-korea"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-collage-pjeww4ajo-1775640561112-e1775640601470.jpg?1786374754&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2647221","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2677"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2647221"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2647221\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2647225,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2647221\/revisions\/2647225"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2647222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2647221"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2647221"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2647221"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}