Seoul's defence ministry said it had detected "several projectiles, presumed to be ballistic missiles" fired from near the North Korean capital Pyongyang around 7:50am (2250 GMT Saturday). It is Pyongyang's first ballistic missile launch since November, when it staged a test after US President Donald Trump approved South Korea's plan to build a nuclear-powered submarine. "The underlying message is likely that attacking North Korea would not be as easy as a strike on Venezuela," he said. A former senior North Korean diplomat said Pyongyang should learn from the US operation to detain Maduro. Lee hopes to possibly harness China's clout over North Korea to support his bid to improve ties with Pyongyang.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 04, 2026 03:55 UTC