North Korea fired several ballistic missiles into the sea off its eastern coast on Monday, according to South Korean and Japanese defence officials, in what Seoul described as an apparent display of military strength.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said at least one missile fired from the Pyongyang area travelled over 900 kilometres (559 miles). The military did not reveal the total number of projectiles detected during the operation.
Japan’s Deputy Defence Minister Takashi Koyari stated that at least two missiles were fired roughly 17 minutes apart, both falling into waters outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Koyari reported that the initial projectile covered approximately 220 kilometres, while the second travelled more than 910 kilometres along an "irregular" flight path, suggesting it may have been a hypersonic weapon.
The South Korean presidential office condemned the tests, asserting that Pyongyang’s repeated missile launches breached United Nations Security Council resolutions, and called for an immediate halt.
The firing occurred days after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung witnessed his country's first test-launch of a hypersonic missile on Thursday. Lee’s office noted that the completed system would enhance Seoul's ability to carry out surprise strikes against vital targets. South Korean military spokesperson Jang Do-young said Pyongyang's latest launch appeared to be a show of force following that test.
North Korea had previously tested a hypersonic intermediate-range missile on October 3, designed to evade defence systems in South Korea and Japan. Cross-border friction also escalated last week after a landmine explosion injured three soldiers in the Demilitarized Zone. A joint investigation by South Korea and the United Nations determined that North Korean forces placed the mines roughly a year ago, an allegation Pyongyang dismissed as a provocation.
The latest weapons tests follow long-stalled diplomatic efforts. President Lee pledged to reopen dialogue with North Korea after taking office in 2025, and Seoul had recently engaged in preliminary coordination intended to facilitate talks with Washington. However, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has dismissed proposals to resume negotiations, which collapsed following his 2019 summit with United States President Donald Trump, demanding that Washington abandon its hostile policy and denuclearisation preconditions.
