On Tuesday, North Korea fired several ballistic missiles toward the sea, which were likely short-range. This was reported by South Korea and Japan at a time when Washington and Seoul are discussing adjustments to their joint defense posture toward Pyongyang.
According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, the missiles were launched from an area near Pyongyang at around 3:50 p.m. local time toward the east coast. Their range was estimated at approximately 350 kilometers.
The Japanese Coast Guard subsequently confirmed that it had detected additional ballistic missiles launched by North Korea. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi noted that the missiles did not pose a threat to Japanese territory.
In recent months, Pyongyang has repeatedly tested short-range missiles and multiple rocket launchers, which it considers an important part of its tactical nuclear arsenal.
North Korean weapons have attracted increased attention after the country supplied them to Russia for use in the war against Ukraine under a 2024 mutual defense agreement.
The latest launch took place during a visit by a senior US Defense Department official to South Korea, where talks were held on modernizing the military alliance between the two countries.
(reuters, max)