N. Korea criticizes S. Korea-U.S. joint military exercise, but remains silent on latest missile launch

And North Korea has resumed its tough rhetoric against South Korea's annual military training with the U.S. while making no mention of its launch of multiple missiles into the West Sea Monday afternoon.

Our defense correspondent Bae Eun-ji has the latest.

North Korea on Monday fired what are presumed to have been multiple close-range ballistic missiles from an inland area called Hwangju County, toward waters off its west coast.

But the regime's state media has remained silent about the launch, even the day after.

North Korea typically acknowledges its ballistic missile launches the following morning through state media, often framing them as test firings.

However, this time, it has made no mention of the launch.

Instead, the Korean Central News Agency criticized the ongoing South Korea-U.S. combined military exercise which kicked off on Monday, labeling it a "confrontational war rehearsal."

It also denounced the annual drills as "a dangerous provocative act."

Experts say that the regime's intention may be to show, on one hand, its "muscularity," while on the other hand taking a slightly "quieter tone" about the missiles themselves.

"The fact that North Korea launched ballistic missiles in line with the start of South Korea and the United States' military exercise.. shows that the regime was not lying when it previously warned it would retaliate against these drills. Nevertheless, responding to a large-scale combined military exercise with close-range missiles suggests an intention for a certain level of restraint."

Because the North's latest launch was the first of its kind since the start of Trump's second presidency, pundits also believe this may suggest that the regime is open to talks with the United States.

"By going ahead and launching, they show strength from their perspective in refraining from too much mention, they provide some wiggle room, should the Trump administration approach them and try to open doors in terms of talks."

Following the North's launch, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command issued a statement, calling on Pyongyang to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts.

It reaffirmed that Washington's commitments to the defense of South Korea and Japan remain strong.

The European Union also denounced the launch, saying that it threatens regional security, heightens tensions, and violates UN Security Council resolutions.

Bae Eun-ji, Arirang News.