North Korea has bolstered border defenses with mines, barbed wire, and other structures, while Seoul accuses Pyongyang of cross-border violations amid ongoing tensions over border incidents and joint military exercises.

North Korea fired about 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the eastern sea, each traveling roughly 250 kilometers, according to South Korea;s Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The launches follow North Korea7s threats to restart front-line propaganda broadcasts and deploy new weapons along the border, and come after Kim Jong Un7s visit to China to seek stronger cooperation.

North Korea7s recent rhetoric and weapons tests appear aimed at eliciting concessions from the United States, amid broader diplomacy including Kim Jong Un7s trip to China and China7s call for regional stability and a political settlement on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea and the United States coordinated to maintain readiness to repel provocations, with Japan also reporting a suspected North Korean missile launch.

The ongoing fallout from border incidents includes land mine blasts that injured three South Korean soldiers, which Pyongyang denies involvement in.