South Korea's military said North Korea launched two projectiles from its eastern coast early Saturday (local time), reports Reuters.
Why it matters: This is only the latest in a series of missiles and rockets fired since North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and President Trump agreed to restart denuclearization negotiations at a June 30 meeting. Trump said he received a “very beautiful letter” from Kim hours before Saturday's launch, ABC News reports.
Catch up quick:
- North Korea reportedly test-fired “a new multiple rocket launcher system that could potentially enhance the country’s ability to strike targets in South Korea“ on Aug. 2 (EST), the AP reports.
- North Korea launched at least one short-range projectile into the Sea of Japan Aug. 1, according to a U.S. official's statement to ABC.
- Two days before, North Korea fired 2 short-range ballistic missiles off its eastern coast, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Where it stands: Trump said that North Korea's three short-range missile tests the first week of August did not violate his 2018 agreement with Kim, but told Kim to "do the right thing" in a series of tweets.
- Trump has downplayed North Korea's missile tests since meeting Kim at the demilitarized zone (DMZ).
The other side: North Korea claims that its earlier test launches involved a "large-caliber multiple launch guided rocket system," per NPR and the AP — which contradicts American and South Korean military assessments to the public.
Go deeper: Ignoring North Korean missile tests could hamper nuclear talks
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include North Korea's description of its test launches.
