North Korea launched several ballistic missiles into the sea early Sunday morning, according to South Korea, just hours before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung was scheduled to leave for an important diplomatic visit to China. The talks in Beijing are expected to focus heavily on North Korea’s nuclear programme and regional security issues.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said they detected the missile launches at around 7.50 am local time. The missiles were fired from the area around North Korea’s capital region and travelled approximately 900 kilometres (560 miles) before landing in the sea.

In an official statement, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles “flew approximately 900 kilometres” and added that South Korea and the United States were “closely analysing the specifications” of the projectiles. The military also said it was “maintaining a full readiness posture” in response to the launches.

The statement further said that South Korea was fully prepared to deal with any possible provocation. It added that the country was “closely exchanging information with the United States and Japan” regarding the missile activity.

Following the launch, South Korea’s National Security Council held an emergency meeting. In a statement released by the presidential office, the launch was strongly criticised and described as a serious violation of international rules. The statement said the missile test “constitutes a provocative act in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.”

Japan also confirmed detecting the missile activity. Japan’s defence ministry said it had picked up signs of a possible ballistic missile launch. According to Japanese officials, two missiles reached an altitude of around 50,000 metres and travelled distances of 560 miles and 590 miles respectively.

Japan’s defence minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, strongly condemned the action. Speaking to reporters, he said, “North Korea’s nuclear and missile development threatens the peace and stability of our country and the international society, and is absolutely intolerable.”

This was North Korea’s first ballistic missile launch since November. The previous test took place after US President Donald Trump approved South Korea’s plan to build a nuclear-powered submarine.

One analyst suggested that recent global events may have influenced Pyongyang’s decision. The analyst said that President Trump’s military operation against Venezuela on Saturday may have played a role in North Korea’s timing of the launch.

For decades, North Korea has argued that its nuclear weapons and missile programmes are necessary for its defence. Pyongyang claims these weapons act as a deterrent against what it describes as potential regime change efforts by the United States. The US government, however, has repeatedly denied having any plans to overthrow North Korea’s leadership.

Hong Min, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, explained North Korea’s concerns. He said, “They likely fear that if the United States so chooses, it could launch a precision strike at any moment, threatening the regime’s survival.”

The missile launch came just hours before President Lee Jae Myung was due to depart for Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. China is considered North Korea’s most important economic supporter and has significant influence over Pyongyang.

President Lee is hoping to use China’s influence to help improve relations with North Korea. His visit is seen as a key diplomatic effort to reduce tensions and encourage dialogue on the Korean peninsula.

Meanwhile, North Korea is preparing for a major political event. The country is set to hold a landmark congress of its ruling party in the coming weeks. This will be its first such congress in five years.

According to analysts, economic policy, along with defence and military planning, is expected to be high on the agenda at the meeting.

Ahead of the congress, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered major changes in weapons production. He has directed the “expansion” and modernisation of the country’s missile manufacturing systems and the construction of new factories to meet rising demand.

State media reported on Sunday that Kim visited a facility involved in producing tactical guided weapons. During the visit, he instructed officials to significantly increase output.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Kim ordered that current production capacity be expanded by 250%, underlining North Korea’s continued focus on strengthening its military capabilities.