North Korea has fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles into waters off its eastern coast, just one day after the United States, South Korea and Japan concluded a joint military exercise.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launches were detected at about 5:20 a.m. on Saturday from the Wonsan area on North Korea’s eastern coast. The missiles travelled roughly 250 kilometres (155 miles) before landing in waters off the country.
The launches prompted South Korea to strengthen its surveillance operations, while its military began working with the United States to determine the missiles’ precise specifications and flight characteristics.
South Korean authorities also said they were maintaining close communication with Washington and Tokyo, with the three countries exchanging information as they assess the latest weapons activity.
The United States said it was closely monitoring the situation. US Pacific Command confirmed that it was aware of the launches and was consulting with American allies and partners in the region.
According to the US military’s initial assessment, the missiles did not pose an immediate threat to American personnel, US territory or Washington’s allies in the region. However, the command reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to defending its homeland and regional allies.
The timing of the launch is likely to attract particular attention because it followed a trilateral military exercise involving the US, South Korea and Japan. North Korea has repeatedly criticised such exercises, describing them as a security threat.
Saturday’s incident was also the first reported ballistic missile test by Pyongyang in about three weeks. The development comes despite recent efforts by Washington to ease tensions, including President Donald Trump’s decision to scale back a major military drill with South Korea as a goodwill gesture.
While the latest missiles were not considered an immediate threat, the launch is expected to keep North Korea’s weapons programme high on the security agenda. The US, South Korea and Japan are continuing to monitor Pyongyang’s activities and assess what the latest test could mean for regional stability.
