North Korea fired two projectiles into the sea off its eastern coast on Sunday, including at least one ballistic missile, according to South Korea's defence ministry. The first launch occurred at around 3:00 pm local time and was a ballistic missile fired from near the city of Wonsan. The missile flew approximately 450 kilometres into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan.
The second launch was confirmed by Seoul's defence ministry soon after 6:00 pm local time, although details were not immediately available. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff detected the ballistic missile launched from the Wonsan area and are conducting a detailed analysis with US authorities to determine the exact specifications of the missile.
The office of the Japanese prime minister stated that both projectiles were suspected to be ballistic missiles. In response, Tokyo lodged a stern protest with North Korea, condemning the launch as a threat to regional peace and security. Japan's government was cited by Kyodo news agency as saying it would not tolerate such actions.
South Korea's presidential National Security Office convened an emergency security meeting following the first launch to assess its impact on national security. The government urged Pyongyang to immediately cease its ballistic missile launches, describing Sunday's firing as a grave act that violated UN Security Council resolutions.
These incidents occurred eight days after North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles towards the East Sea as part of a joint firepower drill. The exercise involved long-range artillery and missiles, which state media reported hit their targets with 100 percent accuracy.
The launches also came after North Korea reasserted its status as a nuclear-armed state and rejected a UN resolution demanding it halt its nuclear activities. A foreign ministry spokesperson stated that the IAEA resolution had no effect on North Korea's position as a nuclear weapons state, citing its actual nuclear deterrent and irreversibly fixed status.
The developments have added to tensions in the region, with US President Donald Trump previously stating that North Korea possessed a significant number of nuclear weapons. South Korea estimates that North Korea has between 80 and 120 nuclear weapons, while Trump put the figure at 57. Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of the North Korean leader, recently described the country's nuclear-armed status as absolute.
Key points
- North Korea fired two projectiles, including at least one ballistic missile, into the East Sea on Sunday.
- The launches were condemned by Japan and South Korea, who urged Pyongyang to cease its ballistic missile tests.
- The incidents occurred amid heightened tensions over North Korea's nuclear programme and its rejection of UN resolutions.
