North Korea fires missiles after Trump announces planned Kim meeting

On August 20, 2026, North Korea fired about a dozen short-range ballistic missiles into the sea, according to South Korean and Japanese authorities. The launch came just hours after President Donald Trump said he planned to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un this year. The missiles fell outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, and no immediate damage was reported.

The barrage took place during ongoing U.S.-South Korea military drills, which North Korea has long condemned as preparation for an invasion. Trump's overture was dismissed by North Korea, which had previously rejected his calls for dialogue. The exact reasons for the missile launch were not stated, but it followed a pattern of weapons tests amid stalled diplomacy.