Allies Share Intelligence After Pyongyang's Missile Barrage

South Korea, the United States and Japan have coordinated their response to North Korea's recent missile firings after senior diplomats from the three countries held a phone meeting on Friday.

Seoul's Foreign Ministry said the call focused on sharing information about the ballistic missiles Pyongyang recently fired and on discussing possible responses. The participants were Beck Yong-jin, Director General for Korean Peninsula Policy, David Villejol, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Northeast Asia at the US State Department, and a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official, Takashi Arioshi.

The ministry said the officials exchanged necessary information and reviewed future steps. It added that the three countries use an established channel to share information and assessments each time North Korea launches ballistic missiles.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul reported that North Korea fired about 10 short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan region into the East Sea on Thursday. North Korean state media later confirmed that a weapons demonstration the same day involved 600-millimeter multiple rocket launchers, tactical cruise missiles and air-to-surface missiles.

The launches followed Seoul's proposal, made a week earlier, for military talks with North Korea to address disputes over the border's demarcation.

Last month, three South Korean soldiers were wounded in a landmine explosion inside the demilitarized zone, a incident that has further strained the border.

On Thursday, South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul took part in a regional defense ministers' meeting in the Philippines and condemned the recent ballistic missile launches. He said they posed a threat to the Korean Peninsula and the broader region.

During an ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus session, Kang said North Korea was creating risks for regional security by firing several missiles at once. He also described the mines laid by North Korea south of the Military Demarcation Line as a clear breach of the 1953 armistice agreement and a provocative act.

Kang called for dialogue to resume between the two Koreas. “When the paths to talks are closed, it becomes hard to understand what an opponent intends,” he said. “Mutual distrust and tension could lead to further clashes and crises.”