The launches occurred shortly after the conclusion of military drills between South Korea and the US, which North Korea views as preparation for invasion. North Korea fired short-range ballistic missiles towards its eastern waters as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken prepared to open a democracy summit in South Korea. The US Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the missile launch, while Japan’s Coast Guard noted that the objects had already fallen. These launches are part of a pattern of weapons demonstrations by North Korea this year, including a missile with a hypersonic warhead. The US and South Korea recently completed joint military drills, which North Korea has consistently condemned as preparations for invasion. The democracy summit discussed the role of technology in both promoting and undermining democracy, with Blinken and South Korean President Yoon addressing the issue. Blinken’s comments follow recent US legislative action that may lead to the banning of the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok. The democracy summit, initiated by President Biden, has faced criticism in the past for its selective invitation list, which reportedly excludes countries like Thailand and Turkey.