North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles into the sea as U.S. and South Korea launch major joint military exercise “Freedom Shield,” testing President Trump’s diplomatic approach in his second term.
At a Glance
- U.S. and South Korea began “Freedom Shield,” an 11-day joint military exercise reflecting complex military scenarios
- North Korea immediately retaliated by firing multiple close-range ballistic missiles from its southwestern Hwanghae Province
- North Korea’s Foreign Ministry warned the exercises could trigger an “accidental” conflict on the Korean peninsula
- The missile launches are seen as directly testing President Trump, who previously established diplomatic relations with Kim Jong Un
- U.S. Indo-Pacific Command condemned the missile launches but stated they pose no immediate threat to U.S. personnel or allies
Missile Response to Joint Exercises
North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles into the sea shortly after the United States and South Korea began their joint military exercise called “Freedom Shield.” The missiles were fired from North Korea’s southwestern Hwanghae Province and have been classified as close-range ballistic missiles, according to military officials. This direct response to the military drills has significantly heightened tensions in a region already walking a diplomatic tightrope in recent months.
South Korea’s military immediately heightened its surveillance and alert posture, working closely with U.S. forces to monitor any further provocative actions from the North. The timing of these missile launches is no coincidence, coming just as the first large-scale joint exercise since Trump’s return to office gets underway. Kim Jong Un seems determined to remind everyone that North Korea won’t sit quietly while military drills it views as rehearsals for invasion take place on its doorstep.
North Korea condemns South Korea-US joint military exercises
The annual Freedom Shield exercise runs from March 10 to 20.
"This is a dangerous provocative act of escalating the situation on the Korean Peninsula to the extreme point, which may provoke a physical conflict between… pic.twitter.com/Cah6j5WBqr
— Sprinter Observer (@SprinterObserve) March 10, 2025
Freedom Shield Operations
The “Freedom Shield” exercise is designed as an extensive 11-day training operation that simulates various complex military scenarios reflective of potential conflict in the Korean Peninsula. The U.S. Army described the exercise as consisting of “training to reflect the Korea Theater of Operations – a combined, joint, multi-domain, and interagency operating environment.” This military exercise represents the continuation of decades-long security cooperation between the United States and South Korea.
“Freedom Shield is an 11-day exercise conducted by the Republic of Korea and the United States consisting of training to reflect the Korea Theater of Operations – a combined, joint, multi-domain, and interagency operating environment.” – U.S. Army
These drills come amid intensifying tensions with North Korea over its nuclear ambitions and growing alignment with Russia. For decades, the Kim regime has characterized these routine exercises as provocative rehearsals for invasion. And while previous administrations have sometimes scaled back exercises to facilitate diplomacy, the current situation reflects the complex security challenges that persist on the Korean Peninsula, especially as North Korea continues to advance its weapons capabilities.
North Korea’s Warnings
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry didn’t mince words in condemning the joint military exercises, characterizing them as aggressive and confrontational actions that push the region toward potential conflict. Their statement specifically warned about the dangers of conducting large-scale military exercises in the volatile region, suggesting that even an accidental incident could trigger a wider conflict. This rhetoric is consistent with North Korea’s long-standing position on U.S.-South Korea military cooperation.
“Despite of the DPRK’s repeated warning, the US and the Republic of Korea are dead set on staging the large-scale joint military exercises. This is a dangerous provocative act of driving the acute situation on the Korean peninsula, where a single accidental gun report may spark off a physical conflict between the two sides, beyond the extreme limit.” – North Korea’s Foreign Ministry
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command responded to North Korea’s missile launches with a measured statement condemning the actions while calling for restraint. They emphasized that the situation does not pose an immediate threat to American personnel or allies in the region. Nevertheless, the command confirmed they are monitoring developments closely and consulting with South Korea and Japan, underscoring the complexity of managing security relationships in a region where tensions remain persistently high.
Testing Trump’s Diplomatic Approach
The missile launches represent a direct challenge to President Trump, who previously established unprecedented direct diplomatic engagement with Kim Jong Un during his first term. Those historic meetings in Singapore and Hanoi, while groundbreaking, ultimately failed to produce a comprehensive agreement on denuclearization. Now, as Trump returns to office, North Korea appears to be testing his resolve and gauging his administration’s stance on the peninsula’s security dynamics.
“We are aware of the DPRK’s multiple ballistic missile launches and are consulting closely with the Republic of Korea and Japan, as well as other regional allies and partners. The United States condemns these actions and calls on the DPRK to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts. While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, or territory, or to our allies, we continue to monitor the situation. The U.S. commitments to the defense of the ROK and Japan remain ironclad.” – U.S. Indo-Pacific Command
While Trump has expressed willingness to revive diplomacy with North Korea, Pyongyang has yet to respond positively to these overtures. Instead, these missile launches, timed to coincide with the joint military exercises, suggest Kim Jong Un is more interested in demonstrating strength and opposition to U.S.-South Korean cooperation than in returning to the negotiating table. This standoff highlights the enduring challenges to achieving lasting peace and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.
