US Seizes North Korea Coal Ship, Trump Says Kim Doesn't Want To Negotiate

North Korea fired two short-range missiles in its second test in five days Thursday and the U.S. seized a North Korean cargo ship as tensions escalated between the two countries. And President Donald Trump said North Korea may not be ready to negotiate, indicating that a negotiated de-escalation of the latest crisis may not be quick in coming.

Trump told reporters at the White House, “ The relationship continues ... I know they want to negotiate, they’re talking about negotiating. But I don’t think they’re ready to negotiate.”

When asked about the missiles, Trump said, “Nobody is happy about it, but we’re taking a good look and we’ll see” Reuters reported.

The missile launch is likely to be a protest against the U.S. for refusing to ease sanctions at the failed Hanoi summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un in February.

The U.S. government announced the seizure of North Korean cargo ship allegedly used to sell coal in violation of international sanctions. The announcement came just hours after the North launched the missiles. It was not immediately clear the location where the ship was seized but reports said the U.S. Coast Guard was likely involved. The Department of Justice the vessel, Wise Honest, was approaching U.S. territorial waters in American Samoa.

South Korea’s military reported that the missiles were fired from North Korea’s western area. "At around 4.29 p.m and 4.49 p.m today, North Korea fired unidentified projectiles in the eastern direction from Sino-ri, North Pyongan province,” South Korea’s Joint Chief of Staff (JCS) said in a statement, Washington Post reported. Sino- ri is known to host one of North Korea’s oldest bases.

Both the missiles traveled east at an altitude of 50 kilometers and splashed down in the East sea. According to South Korea’s JCS one missile flew 270 kilometers and the other 420 kilometers. It did not give more details but said is working with the U.S to determine details.