North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea in an early-year show of force that triggered emergency consultations among South Korea, the United States, and Japan. The tests came just before South Korea’s leader was due to travel to China for talks expected to include North Korea’s nuclear program.

Regional officials condemned the launch as a provocative violation of UN resolutions, while analysts linked the timing to broader geopolitical turbulence and Pyongyang’s ongoing effort to project deterrence and leverage.