North Korea's Missile Tests Read as a Message Before UN Assembly and Trump-Xi Talks

SEOUL – North Korea's latest round of missile tests appears designed to ratchet up pressure on Washington, coming at a moment of heightened diplomatic activity and growing talk of possible dialogue between the two countries.

On Sunday, Pyongyang fired two short-range ballistic missiles from Wonsan out toward the East Sea. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, the first missile lifted off around 3 p.m. and covered roughly 450 kilometers, while the second, launched near 5:50 p.m., flew more than 600 kilometers.

The moment chosen for the launches has raised eyebrows, as they came only days before the opening of the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday and a scheduled meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is set to attend the UN gathering, where he is expected to lay out his government's approach to peace and coexistence on the Korean Peninsula. During last year's assembly, Lee introduced his "E.N.D. Initiative" — built around exchange, normalization and denuclearization — with an early emphasis on stopping the growth of the North's nuclear and missile programs.

Against that backdrop, the recent tests can be seen as Pyongyang restating its refusal to enter talks premised on giving up its weapons, and stressing that it wants to be recognized as a nuclear-armed state in any future negotiations with the United States.

North Korea as a Point Between Trump and Xi

The launches also precede Thursday's US-China summit, at which North Korea could once again feature in the discussions between the two leaders. Following their earlier meeting in Beijing in May, China did not say publicly whether the North's nuclear program had come up. Trump, on the other hand, later stated that denuclearization of North Korea had been part of the conversation.

Pyongyang may be especially wary of any sign that Beijing — its longstanding ally and biggest trading partner — still supports the wider aim of a nuclear-free peninsula.

Trump has said on several occasions that he is open to renewing contact with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, fueling speculation that top-level diplomacy between the two governments could restart.

Viewed through that lens, Sunday's launches may be an attempt to lock in Pyongyang's preferred baseline for any talks — namely, that discussions should center on matters other than surrendering its nuclear weapons.

Analysts See a Familiar Pattern

"North Korea has repeatedly followed a pattern of launching missiles after criticizing South Korea-US and South Korea-US-Japan military exercises through statements by (the North Korean leader's sister) Kim Yo-jong and others," said Yang Moo-jin, a distinguished professor at the University of North Korean Studies.

"The choice to launch short-range missiles toward the East Sea appears intended to demonstrate its short-range strike capabilities against South Korea and US Forces Korea while putting pressure on Washington ahead of any potential US-North Korea dialogue," Yang added.

"In terms of timing, it also appears aimed at signaling ahead of the UN General Assembly that denuclearization is not an option."

The tests followed by two days a statement from Kim Yo-jong, sister of Kim Jong-un, who condemned the US-led multinational Pacific Vanguard naval exercises and cautioned that Pyongyang would respond in a manner that could be proportionate or even stronger.

In recent weeks, North Korea has intensified its objections to large-scale drills involving South Korea, the United States and Japan. Its previous ballistic missile test on Sept. 12 took place a day after those three nations wrapped up their trilateral Freedom Edge exercise.

Silence From Pyongyang's State Media

North Korean state media, however, stayed quiet on Monday about the weekend launches. The Korean Central News Agency made no reference to the two missiles in its early reporting, extending a growing and inconsistent trend of Pyongyang sometimes declining to announce its weapons tests.

Three separate launches last month were not reported by state media, while the Sept. 12 test was only revealed two days afterward as part of a combined firepower drill involving artillery and missile units.

Questioned about the silence, Yoon Min-ho, spokesperson for Seoul's Unification Ministry, said on Monday that South Korea would not read too much into it. "There have been several instances in the past in which such launches were not reported, so we will not offer a separate assessment," Yoon told a regular briefing.

The US military likewise downplayed any near-term danger from the latest activity while reaffirming its defense pledges. "We are aware of the recent missile launches and are consulting closely with our allies and partners," US Pacific Command said in a statement posted to its website on Sunday.

"Based on current assessments, these events do not pose an immediate threat to US personnel or territory, or to our allies. The United States remains committed to the defense of the US homeland and our allies in the region."

US Pacific Command has released comparable statements after other North Korean missile launches this year, without directly condemning them.