Kim’s rare praise, Lee’s apology and then a barrage of missiles: Why did North Korea fire two rounds despite unusual exchange

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea’s missile launch during a news program at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul. (AP photo)

North Korea launched multiple rounds of ballistic missiles on Wednesday, just days after leader Kim Jong Un signalled a rare conciliatory note toward South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.The missiles were fired from near Wonsan toward waters off the country’s east coast, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. In response, Seoul convened an emergency meeting of its national security council and urged Pyongyang to halt actions that violate UN Security Council resolutions.Hours later, North Korea launched at least one more ballistic missile. While its exact range was unclear, Japan’s Coast Guard said the projectile had likely already fallen.According to Bloomberg, the launches came shortly after an unusual exchange between the two Koreas. North Korea had earlier conveyed Kim Jong Un’s praise for Lee’s apology over a drone incident involving aircraft crossing into the North’s airspace. Seoul described the communication as a “meaningful step forward” for peaceful coexistence.In a statement, Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, said the North Korean leader viewed Lee’s apology as a sign of a “frank and broad-minded” approach. However, Pyongyang later dismissed Seoul’s interpretation, calling it a “hope-filled dream reading.”A senior North Korean official stressed that the message was intended as a warning, asserting that South Korea remains an “enemy state” regardless of its actions or rhetoric.The latest launches also followed a projectile fired a day earlier that may have been a failed weapons test. According to Yonhap News, the missile showed signs of malfunction shortly after launch and disappeared mid-flight. Earlier Wednesday, short-range missiles travelled about 240 kilometres.The back-to-back launches underscore the challenges facing Lee’s government as it seeks to ease tensions with the nuclear-armed North.Analysts say Pyongyang is attempting to counter Seoul’s diplomatic narrative while reinforcing its own position of strength on the Korean Peninsula, even as it continues to push for international recognition as a nuclear power.