North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast on Monday morning, marking Pyongyang’s fourth weapons launch in a month. South Korea’s military reported one missile flew over 900 kilometers, following a domestic hypersonic missile test by Seoul last week.
North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles from its interior toward the northeast and east on Monday, according to the Japanese Ministry of Defense. The projectiles landed near North Korea’s east coast and in the Sea of Japan.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff detected the launches at around 9:20 a.m. local time near the capital of Pyongyang. One of the missiles flew more than 900 km (559 miles).
Japan and South Korea Track Flight Trajectories
Japanese officials detailed the flight patterns of the morning launches during a press briefing. Japan’s parliamentary vice defense minister Takashi Koyari said at least two missiles were launched 17 minutes apart and landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone without causing damage to ships or aircraft.
The first missile launched at approximately 9:19 a.m. climbed to an altitude of about 20 kilometers and traveled roughly 220 kilometers. The second projectile launched at 9:36 a.m., reaching a maximum altitude of 70 kilometers and flying past 910 kilometers on an irregular trajectory.
Koyari told reporters that Japan lodged a protest to North Korea through their embassies in Beijing. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi directed state agencies to exert maximum effort in collecting and analyzing data, rapidly and precisely sharing it with the public, and safeguarding maritime and aerial navigation.
Seoul Links Launches to Hypersonic Weapons Test
South Korean military officials connected Monday’s events directly to recent military testing across the border. JCS spokesperson Jang Do-young stated that the latest actions served as a demonstration of missile capabilities following Seoul’s own defense tests last week. According to the South Korean military official, Jang, the recent North Korean missile firings were likely aimed at progressing the nation’s missile capabilities while simultaneously functioning as a potential reaction to the South Korean hypersonic test.
Lee Jae Myung oversaw the first test-firing of a domestically produced hypersonic glide vehicle on Thursday. South Korea’s presidential office noted that the weapon aims to enhance surprise strike capabilities within the operational theater. North Korea previously tested an intermediate-range hypersonic missile on October 3 under the supervision of Kim Jong Un.
Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, stated that the October 3 launch by the North involved a weapon capable of altering its flight path at low altitude, integrated with artificial intelligence.
South Korea Condemns Landmine Blasts and Missile Tests
Last month, three South Korean soldiers were injured by landmine explosions in the Demilitarized Zone. The latest missile streak unfolds against this backdrop.
The South Korean National Security Office held an emergency session where it labeled the missile tests as breaches of United Nations Security Council resolutions, demanded an immediate halt, and asserted that such activities do not contribute to managing the ongoing situation on the Korean Peninsula. Takashi Koyari noted that the launches contravened relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions.
Pyongyang has conducted at least 11 test-launches of some 18 ballistic missiles and other projectiles this year. Analysts suggest the frequent demonstrations are designed to build political influence ahead of potential talks with the United States, even as Kim Jong Un continues to reject offers to revive diplomacy that stalled after negotiations with Donald Trump ended in 2019.
