Upgrading South Korea's submarine fleet would help ease the operational burden on the U.S. military in the Indo-Pacific region.

North Korea denounced on Friday the recent visits of U.S. leadership and an aircraft carrier strike group to South Korea. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back visited the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea on Nov.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Friday fired a suspected short-range ballistic missile toward its eastern waters, South Korea’s military said, as Pyongyang steps up its testing activity while talks with Washington and Seoul remain stalled.

Participating South Korean warships included destroyers equipped with a U.S. combat system that provides air and missile defense.

The South Korean military said North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile toward its east coast on Friday.

State media said the sea-to-surface cruise missiles fired Tuesday flew for more than two hours before accurately striking targets in its western waters.

The United States will look at "flexibility" for U.S. troops stationed in South Korea to operate against regional threats, but the core of the alliance with Seoul will remain focused on deterring North Korea,

North Korea on Friday fired at least one ballistic missile toward its eastern waters, South Korea’s military said, as Pyongyang steps up its testing activity while talks with Washington and Seoul remain stalled.