North Korea launched missiles an hour before Pete Hegseth, the American Secretary of Defense, visited South Korea.

One hour before the visit of the American Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, to South Korea, North Korea launched several artillery rockets, according to information provided by the South Korean military. Hegseth, who is on a tour in Asia, visited the inter-Korean border area, marking the first visit by a Pentagon chief in eight years.

During a press conference, Hegseth highlighted the security challenges facing South Korea and announced an increase in military spending to enhance defense capabilities against North Korean threats.

The South Korean President, Lee Jae-myung, announced a record increase in the defense budget, by 8.2%, to 4.6 billion dollars, the largest in the last six years. Tensions on the peninsula have risen, and North Korea has launched rockets even before important meetings, without publicly reacting to Hegseth's visit.