Seoul: North Korea fired one short-range ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Sunday, according to South Korea's military. This launch follows North Korea's recent vow to take "responsive action" against ongoing U.S.-led military exercises in the region.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) detected the missile launch at approximately 3:00 p.m. from the Wonsan area. The missile traveled about 450 kilometers, with further analysis underway to determine its precise specifications and other details. The JCS stated that South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities closely tracked and shared information from the start of the launch, extending this intelligence to Japan as well.
"We are closely monitoring North Korea's various activities and maintain the capability and readiness to overwhelmingly respond to any provocations, under the staunch South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture," the JCS emphasized. This latest missile launch follows a similar event about a week ago when North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles from the same region.
In a recent media dispatch, North Korea claimed it had conducted a firepower strike drill involving artillery and missile units with new combat systems, including attack drones and tactical cruise missiles. The launch comes amid Pyongyang's increasing criticism of regional military exercises involving South Korea, the U.S., and Japan.
Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, condemned the U.S.-led multinational Pacific Vanguard maritime drills, warning of a proportional or more aggressive response. North Korea has consistently denounced these exercises as rehearsals for invasion.
South Korea's National Security Office (NSO) convened an emergency meeting with the defense ministry and the JCS to assess the missile launch's implications on national security and discuss appropriate responses. The NSO reiterated its call for Pyongyang to halt such military actions, citing the ballistic missile launches as violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibiting North Korea's nuclear and missile development. Previously, the missiles were identified as Hwasong-11 series short-range ballistic missiles and rounds from 600-millimeter super-large multiple rocket launchers.