North Koreaupdated 1h ago2 min read
MapNorth Korea Fires Around 10 Short-Range Ballistic Missiles Toward East Sea Off Wonsan
“there is speculation that North Korea conducted a show of force”
“South Korea’s military was strengthening surveillance and maintaining readiness”
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL · Cropped for layout
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North Korea fired around 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea. Missiles launched from near Wonsan on North Korea's eastern coast.
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Missile Launches Off Wonsan
North Korea fired around 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast on Thursday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, with the launches occurring around 12:30 p.m. local time from an area around Wonsan. Japan’s Defense Ministry said the projectile was likely to have fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, and Japan’s Coast Guard urged ships to monitor further information and avoid approaching any fallen objects.
South Korea’s military said it detected about 10 short-range ballistic missiles fired from the North’s eastern coastal town of Wonsan, and it bolstered its surveillance posture while exchanging information with the U.S. and Japan. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected about 10 short-range ballistic missiles fired from Wonsan, and the launches followed days after the North threatened to resume front-line propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts and deploy new weapons along the rivals’ tense border.
Tensions, Mine Blast, Readiness
South Korea accused North Korea of planting mines south of the military demarcation line that caused the Sept. 21 blasts that injured three South Korean soldiers, while Pyongyang denied responsibility and warned of retaliation if provoked.
A South Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson said the 12 October missile launches appeared to be "a show of force in response to the successful test launch of our hypersonic missile, as well as an intentional demonstration of missile capabilities," and it said North Korea last fired ballistic missiles on 12 October.
North Korea’s launches came days after the North threatened to resume front-line propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts and deploy new weapons along the border, and South Korea later proposed talks on clarifying the border to prevent accidental clashes but North Korea had not responded.
Japan and South Korea’s defence ministries informed of the suspected ballistic missile launch, and the South Korean ministry informed that an unidentified projectile was fired off its east coast.
China Visit and Next Steps
Kim Jong Un made a surprise weekend visit to China, the North’s main ally and economic pipeline, to push for greater cooperation, and Kim visited the Chinese border city of Dandong via a newly inaugurated bridge to pay respect at a memorial marking China’s support of North Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War. Kim met top Chinese Communist Party official Wang Huning and reaffirmed his resolve to develop bilateral cooperation, and Kim said North Korea will firmly carry forward “the invincible” friendship with China.
Japan’s Defense Ministry posted on X that "An object that may be a ballistic missile has been launched from North Korea," and it added that it was estimated the object had already fallen. The Prime Minister’s Office outlined measures including gathering and analysing information, ensuring the safety of aircraft, vessels and other assets, and taking precautionary measures to prepare for possible contingencies, while also stressing the need to provide the public with information in a timely and appropriate manner.