North Korea fires ten ballistic missiles following Trump plan to meet Kim Jong Un

Ballistic missile launches from Pyongyang

North Korea launched approximately 10 short-range ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang region on Thursday, 20 August 2026, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The South Korean military initially reported detecting at least one unidentified projectile before confirming a coordinated volley of about 10 short-range weapons. Japan's Ministry of Defense and the Prime Minister's office reported via social platform X that a suspected ballistic missile had been launched and subsequently fell into the sea. The missile tests followed hours after public statements from Washington regarding renewed bilateral diplomacy between the United States and North Korea.

Trump proposes fourth meeting with Kim

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced his intention to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un before the end of the year. When asked directly by journalists whether a diplomatic encounter would take place in 2026, Trump confirmed the plan.

Yes, I will meet him.

Trump stated that maintaining good relations with the North Korean leader is important. A potential meeting would mark the fourth face-to-face summit between the two leaders following their encounters during Trump's previous presidential term. Observers cited in regional reports note that such a summit could take place in November 2026 on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in China. However, Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, stated on Wednesday that she was not at all aware of any ongoing communication between her brother and Trump. The renewed outreach generated concern among Washington's Asian allies, while observers pointed out that Trump may be seeking a foreign policy milestone while the war in Iran remains unresolved.

Scaled-back military maneuvers in the South

The missile volley took place while South Korean and American forces conducted annual joint military maneuvers that commenced on Monday. Washington intervened earlier in the week to shorten the scheduled exercises by six days at the direct request of President Trump, presenting the decision as a de-escalation measure toward Pyongyang. The Pentagon stated that core American military objectives would be preserved despite the abbreviated operational schedule. The United States maintains an active contingent of 28,500 military personnel stationed in South Korea, representing one of its primary overseas deployments in the region. Part of this US force was slated to mobilize alongside 18,000 South Korean soldiers during the drills. Pyongyang has long opposed these joint exercises, citing the unresolved legacy of the 1950–1953 Korean War, which concluded with an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty.

Disputed counts of North Korea's nuclear arsenal

During his Wednesday press briefing, Trump disclosed a specific official assessment of Pyongyang's capabilities, stating that North Korea currently possesses 57 very powerful nuclear weapons. The United States does not formally recognize North Korea as an official nuclear-weapon state. The public figure prompted a contrasting assessment from South Korean officials on Thursday. South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back told the South Korean Parliament that Seoul estimates North Korea's operational nuclear arsenal at between 80 and 120 weapons, reflecting a substantially higher estimate than the count cited by the US administration.