BEIJING -- China and South Korea’s leaders pledged to boost trade and safeguard regional stability on Monday during a visit to Beijing by the South Korean president that was overshadowed by North Korea’s recent ballistic missile tests.

South Korea’s military reports projectile launch hours before Lee Jae Myung was due to head to Beijing

Ju Ae has been making increasingly prominent appearances in state media in recent years, fueling speculation that she is being prepared as Kim’s successor.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement it detected several ballistic missile launches from North Korea's capital region around 7:50 a.m. It stated that the missiles flew approximately 560 miles and that South Korean and U.S. authorities were analyzing the details of the launches.

Developed by Korea Aerospace Industries, the twin-engine multirole fighter has been in development since 2010 and is intended to replace the Republic of Korea Air Force’s ageing F-4 and F-5 fleets.

South Korea secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by finishing in the top two of Group B in the third round of AFC qualifying. A 2-0 away win over Iraq gave the team a commanding group lead with one match remaining, guaranteeing direct entry into the finals.

South Korea said it will formally end its dwindling yet much-criticized bear bile farming industry this week, though about 200 bears are still kept in pens and raised for their gallbladders.

This is the first in a series of articles exploring how key foreign and security issues are politicized, and the costs this carries for South Korea’s national i