On March 10, North Korea fired several unidentified ballistic missiles into the West Sea. A Patriot missile system was deployed at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, that day. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command condemned this provocation, marking the first missile launch by North Korea since the inauguration of President Donald Trump.
The command issued a statement acknowledging North Korea’s multiple ballistic missile launches and stated they were in close consultation with South Korea, Japan, and other regional allies and partners. The statement emphasized the U.S.’s condemnation of these actions and urged North Korea to cease illegal and destabilizing behavior. Although the incident poses no immediate threat to U.S. citizens, territory, or allies, the situation remains under monitoring. The commitment to defend South Korea and Japan remains unwavering.
Earlier that day, at around 1:50 PM, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff detected the missile launches from an inland area in Hwanghae-do, aimed toward the West Sea, suggesting they could be short-range ballistic missiles (CRBM) with a range of less than 300 km. This marks the first missile launch since January 14 and the first since President Trump’s inauguration on January 20.