North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Friday, Dec. 23, ahead of a major political meeting to set plans for next year.. It is reported by Bloomberg.

According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, ballistic missiles were fired from an area near Pyongyang's main international airport towards waters off North Korea's east coast.. The missiles covered a distance of about 250 km and 350 km, respectively, before falling into the sea..

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un finds room to step up provocations against the US and its allies, while US President Joe Biden focuses on Russia's war against Ukraine.

The latest missile launch came three days after the US sent an F-22 bomber and stealth fighters to the peninsula for joint exercises with South Korea..

Kim Jong Un called a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party for an unspecified date in late December to review this year's economic and political efforts and decide on political plans for 2023.. The North Korean leader has shown no interest in returning to nuclear disarmament talks, which have been deadlocked for almost three years, and remains firmly committed to a promise to never give up the nuclear arsenal..

North Korea has launched 70 ballistic missiles this year, the most in Kim Jong-un's decade in power.. Such missile launches violate UN resolutions.

North Korea tested a new rocket engine earlier this month and on December 18 launched what South Korea said were two medium-range ballistic missiles.. These launches were followed by joint US-South Korean air exercises..

The North Korean leader has been upgrading the nuclear arsenal of missiles over the past few years to make them easier to hide, faster to deploy and harder to shoot down..

North Korea may soon further escalate regional tensions by conducting its first nuclear test since 2017.. The US, South Korea, and Japan have been saying for months that Pyongyang appears ready to test at any time, and the three countries have promised strict and coordinated responses to such provocations by the DPRK..

U.S. attempts to contain Russian President Vladimir Putin, coupled with growing attention to China, have allowed Kim Jong-un to bolster nuclear forces without fear of new UN Security Council sanctions.. There is almost no chance that Russia or China, which have a veto power in the Security Council, will support any measures against North Korea..

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North Korea regularly carries out nuclear provocations by launching missiles towards Japan and South Korea. This increases the tension in the region and forces the neighbors, who are conducting military exercises together with the United States, to react..

Kim Jong-un's goal is to create " After testing a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-17, Kim Jong-un said he would counter US nuclear threats with nuclear weapons.