North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast on Thursday, South Korea's military said, in a launch that further strained relations between the two Koreas.1,4,5
The missiles were launched from an area near Wonsan at around 12:30 p.m. local time (0330 GMT), according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The launch came less than a week after South Korea proposed military talks over a growing border dispute, a proposal to which Pyongyang has yet to respond.1,4,5
Accounts differed on the scale of the launch. South Korea's military, as cited by DW, said around 10 missiles were fired, while France 24 and The Japan Times put the figure at around a dozen. The New York Post initially described the event only as an unidentified projectile, with South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff giving no further details on the type of weapon. Seoul's military said the missiles flew about 250 kilometres toward the East Sea, the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan.1,4,5,6
South Korea said it was strengthening surveillance and maintaining readiness for additional launches while sharing information with the United States and Japan. Japan's Defense Ministry said the missiles had fallen outside the country's Exclusive Economic Zone, according to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, while the Japan Coast Guard had earlier urged ships in the area to be vigilant. Seoul and Washington are conducting a detailed analysis of the missiles, with Seoul's military saying, "South Korea and the United States are conducting a detailed analysis of their exact specifications."1,4
Seoul's National Security Office said the launches violated U.N. Security Council resolutions, calling them "serious acts that do nothing to help manage the current situation." Lim Eul-chul, a professor at South Korea's Kyungnam University, told AFP, "This should be seen as a fairly high-level show of force," adding, "North Korea is demonstrating that it has the capability to completely destroy major South Korean and US military facilities," he said.4
Lim added that Pyongyang was also sending a political message by "showing off its overwhelming military power and warning Seoul not to interfere with its efforts to fortify the border," he said. Last week, Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said the North would place loudspeakers on standby along the border "within days" and had put unspecified "new counter means" on alert. Both countries have at times used loudspeakers broadcasting propaganda across the border and other psychological warfare methods, and North Korea said last week it would resume front-line propaganda broadcasts and deploy new weapons systems along the border.4,5
The launch followed weeks of tension over a landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone on Sept. 21 that wounded three South Korean soldiers. A joint investigation by South Korea and the United Nations concluded earlier this month that North Korea had planted the landmines south of the military demarcation line more than a year ago. Seoul called the planting "a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement" and demanded an apology, which the North dismissed. Pyongyang has denied responsibility and warned of retaliation if provoked.1,4,5
South Korea later proposed military talks with the North to "mutually confirm the precise location" of their border and discuss restoring communication channels, but Pyongyang has not responded. The Demilitarized Zone is one of the world's most heavily fortified frontiers, where landmine incidents have previously heightened tensions. Seoul and Pyongyang remain technically at war, as the Korean conflict ended in 1953 with a truce rather than a peace treaty.4,5
Pyongyang has conducted missile tests on more than 10 occasions this year, most recently launching several short-range ballistic missiles on Oct. 12. Recent tests have included a new precision-guided torpedo system and an intermediate-range hypersonic missile, both of which were said to employ AI technology.1,4
The tensions come as U.S. President Donald Trump's recent overtures to North Korea have raised concerns in Seoul, a U.S. ally, that it could be sidelined in potential nuclear talks involving Pyongyang. In his most recent comments, Trump seemingly downplayed the possibility of a summit while insisting his relationship with Kim Jong Un was "very good." In October, North Korea launched several short-range ballistic missiles a day after Trump suggested the two might meet this year.4
Thursday's launch also followed a recent visit by Kim Jong Un to China. MSNBC described it as a surprise weekend visit to China, the North's main ally and economic pipeline, to push for greater cooperation, while the New York Post said the launch came five days after Kim visited China via a newly inaugurated bridge connecting the two countries. South Korea said it had stepped up surveillance for possible additional launches.1,3,4,5
