NORTH Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area towards the sea off its east coast on Saturday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.
The missiles were launched at about 5.20am (2020 GMT on Friday) and flew about 250km (155 miles), with South Korean and US authorities analysing their specifications, the JCS said.
South Korean and US intelligence authorities tracked the launches from the outset and shared information with Japan, it added.
“South Korea’s military is closely monitoring North Korean activity and maintaining the capability and readiness to respond overwhelmingly to any provocation under its combined defence posture with the United States,” Reuters cited the JCS saying.
South Korea’s presidential National Security Office convened an emergency security meeting involving the defence ministry, the JCS and other relevant agencies following the launches.
Officials reviewed the government’s response, assessed their impact on South Korea’s security and examined necessary measures, the presidential office said.
It urged North Korea to immediately halt ballistic missile launches, calling them a serious violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.
US Pacific Command said it was aware of the launches and was consulting closely with allies and partners.
Based on its initial assessment, the launches did not pose an immediate threat to US personnel, territory or allies, it said.
“The United States remains committed to the defence of the US homeland and our allies in the region,” it said in a post on X.
The launches came a day after South Korea, Japan and the United States concluded joint military drills aimed at testing their readiness against North Korean missile and nuclear threats.
North Korea launched more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles last month and ordered its military to maintain full readiness during ongoing South Korea-US exercises.
US President Donald Trump separately scaled back military drills last month, describing them as hostile to Pyongyang, and said he expected to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year. - September 12, 2026
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