North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles towards the sea off its eastern coast on Monday, according to South Korea’s military, escalating regional tensions days after Seoul conducted a test of its hypersonic missile. The launch marked Pyongyang’s fourth missile test in a month, raising concerns over its expanding weapons programme.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were launched from an area near Pyongyang at around 9:20 a.m. local time. The projectiles appeared to be of different types, with one category reportedly travelling more than 900 kilometres before landing in the sea.
Japan’s Coast Guard also reported detecting two unidentified projectiles believed to be ballistic missiles, adding that both appeared to have fallen.
South Korea Condemns Missile Launches
South Korea’s National Security Office convened an emergency meeting following the launches and condemned them as violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions. Seoul called on Pyongyang to immediately halt such activities.
The US Indo-Pacific Command said it was monitoring the launches and consulting with regional allies. It added that the incident did not pose an immediate threat to US personnel, territory or its allies.
North Korea has faced United Nations sanctions since 2006 over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.
Launches Follow South Korea’s Hypersonic Missile Test
The latest launches came days after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung oversaw the country’s first test-firing of a hypersonic missile, a rare public demonstration of its missile capabilities by a sitting president.
A spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff suggested that Pyongyang’s latest launches could be a show of force in response to Seoul’s successful test, as well as an attempt to demonstrate its own weapons capabilities.
North Korea last launched a ballistic missile on October 3. State media KCNA reported that the test involved a hypersonic missile conducted under the supervision of leader Kim Jong Un.
Ballistic missiles generally follow a trajectory determined largely by their initial propulsion, while hypersonic missiles travel at speeds exceeding five times the speed of sound and may be designed to manoeuvre during flight.
Border Incident Adds to Regional Strains
Tensions between the two Koreas have also been fuelled by a landmine explosion near the border last month that injured three South Korean soldiers. Seoul alleged that North Korea had planted the mines and demanded an apology. Pyongyang rejected the accusation and accused South Korea of provocation.
North Korea has conducted missile tests on more than 10 occasions this year, including four launches in the past month.
Analysts See Strategic Significance in Frequent Tests
The increasing frequency of missile tests may also reflect North Korea’s efforts to strengthen its strategic position ahead of a possible meeting between Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump.
Song Seong-jong, a professor at Daejeon University and former South Korean Defence Ministry official, said Pyongyang could be seeking to increase its leverage before potential talks with Washington.
The latest launches underscore the continuing security challenges in East Asia, as both North and South Korea pursue weapons development amid strained diplomatic relations.
