-
17:20
-
16:50
-
16:20
-
15:50
-
15:20
-
14:50
-
14:20
-
13:20
-
12:50
-
12:20
-
11:50
-
11:20
-
10:50
-
10:40
-
10:20
-
09:50
-
09:09
-
08:50
-
08:20
-
07:50
Follow us on Facebook
North Korea fires rockets near border ahead of U.S. defense secretary’s visit
North Korea fired several artillery rockets an hour before U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit to the inter-Korean border, South Korea’s military said Tuesday.
Hegseth visited Panmunjom, the only point where troops from both Koreas stand face to face near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). It was the first visit by a U.S. defense chief in eight years.
“The details of the projectiles are being closely analyzed by South Korean and U.S. intelligence,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul said, adding that the shells were launched around 4 p.m. local time (07:00 GMT) on Monday.
A ‘Dangerous Security Environment’
At a press conference alongside his South Korean counterpart Ahn Gyu-back, Hegseth warned that the Korean Peninsula faces a “dangerous security environment.” The two ministers, he said, agreed to remain “clear-eyed about the threats.”
He added that increased defense spending would allow Seoul to further strengthen its deterrence and conventional defense capabilities against North Korea.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung announced Tuesday that the country would implement in 2026 its largest defense budget increase in six years — up 8.2% to $4.6 billion (about €4 billion).
Trump–Kim Dialogue Remains Elusive
The visit came after a series of conciliatory signals from U.S. President Donald Trump toward North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, whom he met three times during his first term.
Trump had hinted at the possibility of a new meeting during his recent Asia tour, which included a stop in South Korea, but later said he was “too busy.” He nonetheless reaffirmed his interest in meeting Kim again. North Korea has not publicly responded.
Rockets Before Lee–Xi Summit
Two days prior to Hegseth’s visit, the North Korean military also fired several rockets, just minutes before a summit between South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
During their talks, Lee urged Xi to help Seoul “resume dialogue” with Pyongyang, signaling a softer approach than that of his predecessor.
According to the South Korean military, about ten artillery rockets were detected being fired into the northern part of the Yellow Sea (West Sea) before both the Lee–Xi summit and Hegseth’s visit.
