North Korea launched what are believed to be short-range ballistic missiles from its eastern coast, according to South Korean military reports. This launch occurred just one day after the United States and South Korea conducted a joint military drill.
The missiles were fired from the Wonsan area on North Korea’s east coast, covering a distance of approximately 185 miles before landing in the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, confirmed that a missile landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
South Korea denounced the missile test as “a clear provocation,” noting that it followed closely after a joint exercise involving fighter jets from both the U.S. and South Korea, which North Korea views as a significant security threat. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reiterated their readiness to counter any potential aggression from North Korea with the support of U.S. military forces.
In recent times, North Korea has ramped up its weapons testing to expand and modernize its military capabilities, while diplomatic efforts with the United States and South Korea remain stalled. Just last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised the test firing of a new multiple rocket launch system, as reported by state media.
North Korea asserts that it is compelled to strengthen its nuclear and missile programs in response to perceived U.S.-led hostilities, including expanded military exercises by the U.S. and South Korea, which it labels as rehearsals for invasion. Many international analysts believe North Korea uses these drills as justification for building a larger weapons arsenal, aiming to enhance its leverage in future diplomatic negotiations with the U.S.
The joint military exercise conducted on Thursday included two South Korean F-35A jets and two U.S. F-22 Raptors flying over central South Korea. North Korean state media criticized the deployment of U.S. F-22s to South Korea, their first return in seven months, describing it as “another clear proof of the hostile nature of the U.S.” The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea’s official outlet, accused the South Korean military of escalating tensions in alignment with U.S. strategies.
KCNA issued a warning that the F-22 flyovers could result in undesirable consequences for the U.S., although no specifics were provided. Kim Yo Jong, a senior North Korean official and sister to Kim Jong Un, explained that the recent missile tests are part of a five-year arms development plan initiated in 2021. She stated that the ballistic missiles tested on Friday are designed to target Seoul and dismissed speculation that the tests were meant to showcase weapons for potential sale to Russia.
