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This photo, released by North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency, shows two vehicles carrying missiles unveiled during a military parade on April 25, 2022. (KCNA/Yonhap News)

North Korea test-fired two cruise missiles on Wednesday, which marked South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s 100th day in office.

“Early this morning, North Korea was detected launching two cruise missiles over the Yellow Sea from Onchon, South Pyongan Province,” a South Korean military official said.

The official did not share the exact time of the launch or the distance traveled by the missiles, explaining that “South Korean and US military authorities are analyzing details including the flight distance.”

The latest launch by North Korea comes two days after Yoon shared an “audacious initiative” in an address on Liberation Day, which promised large-scale food supplies and power generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure assistance to the North if it agreed to take part in denuclearization talks.

It also took place during the crisis management practice period from Aug. 16 to 19 ahead of the Ulchi Freedom Shield joint South Korea-US military exercises, which begin on Monday, Aug. 22.

Analysts interpreted the timing of the missile launch as Pyongyang’s expression of disgruntlement with Yoon’s proposed initiative and the South Korea-US drills, which will involve field maneuvers for the first time in five years.

The office of presidential office spokesperson Kang In-sun stated, “At 9 am today, national security advisor Kim Sung-han held a security situation review meeting with National Security Office officials to receive reports on the situation from the Joint Chiefs of Staff and review our military’s readiness posture.”

“In light of the crisis management exercises currently taking place ahead of the South Korea-US Ulchi Freedom Shield joint exercises, the attendees agreed that we should continue observing related trends closely,” the office added.

The latest missile launch by North Korea comes two-and-a-half months after its ballistic missile launch on June 5.

North Korea’s launches of ballistic missiles with rocket engines are in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, as they are considered nuclear warhead carriers. But cruise missile launches, which involve the use of jet engines, are not subject to sanctions.

By Kwon Hyuk-chul, staff reporter

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