North Korea fires ballistic missiles toward the east days before Trump visits the South

North Korea performed its first ballistic missile tests in five months Wednesday, days before U.S. President Donald Trump and other leaders are expected to meet in South Korea.

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea performed its first ballistic missile tests in five months Wednesday, days before President Donald Trump and other leaders are expected to meet in South Korea.

South Korea’s military detected multiple suspected short-range ballistic missiles launched from an area south of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. It said the weapons flew about 217 miles each in a northeastern direction but did not say where they landed.

South Korea’s military said it maintains a readiness to repel any provocations by North Korea based on the solid military alliance with the United States.

Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters that none of the North Korean missiles reached Japan’s territorial waters or exclusive economic zone and that there had been no reports of damage caused by the launches. She said that Tokyo was closely communicating with Washington and Seoul, including by sharing real-time missile warning data.

South Korea next week hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, an annual summit meant to promote economic integration and trade. It has no military component. Trump was expected to come to Gyeongju ahead of the summit for bilateral meetings with leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, but South Korean officials say Trump is not likely to attend APEC’s main conference set for Oct. 30-Nov. 1.