WorldPosted at: Sep 20 2026 4:23PM


North Korea launches additional projectile towards the sea after ballistic missile test

Seoul, Sep 20 (UNI) North Korea conducted an additional launch on Sunday, firing a projectile towards the sea after launching a short-range ballistic missile earlier in the day, South Korea's military said, days after Pyongyang vowed to take "responsive action" against continued US-led military drills in the region.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the latest launch at about 3 pm from the Wonsan area on North Korea's east coast.
"We have stepped up surveillance and vigilance against additional launches and maintain full readiness as we are closely sharing information regarding North Korea's ballistic missile launch with the United States and Japan," the JCS said.
South Korea's military said North Korea had launched a short-range ballistic missile towards waters off its eastern coast. It gave no further details about the additional projectile.
The latest launch came about a week after North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles from the same region towards the East Sea on September 12.
Japan's Defence Ministry said at least one ballistic missile was launched from North Korea's east coast at around 3 pm towards the northeast. It estimated that the missile reached a maximum altitude of about 60 km, flew approximately 440 km and fell outside Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Sea of Japan.
"Regarding the object that may be a ballistic missile launched from North Korea earlier, its entry into our country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) has not been confirmed at this time," the ministry said.
The ministry said no reports of damage had been received and that the government had provided information to aircraft and vessels operating in the vicinity.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has issued instructions to "devote full efforts to information gathering and analysis, provide prompt and accurate information to the public, thoroughly confirm the safety of aircraft and vessels, and maintain full readiness for any unforeseen incidents."
The Japanese government also convened its response team to coordinate information from relevant ministries and agencies and discuss measures in response to the launch.
Japan's Defence Ministry said it was coordinating closely with the United States and South Korea and would maintain vigilance and surveillance.
"North Korea's series of actions, including the repeated launches of ballistic missiles and other projectiles to date, threaten the peace and security of our country, the region, and the international community," it said.
"Furthermore, such ballistic missile launches violate relevant UN Security Council resolutions and constitute a grave issue concerning the safety of our citizens. Our country has lodged a strong protest and issued a stern condemnation to North Korea."
South Korea's presidential office also urged Pyongyang to immediately halt ballistic missile launches banned under UN Security Council resolutions. It said an emergency National Security Council meeting was held to discuss the launch.
The latest launch comes as North Korea continues a series of weapons tests despite US President Donald Trump's decision last month to scale back a military exercise with South Korea, in what appeared to be an effort to revive diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Kim's sister and senior official Kim Yo Jong had earlier dismissed Trump's move, saying that shortening the drill would not change its "provocative, aggressive nature."
North Korea's military subsequently launched about 10 short-range ballistic missiles towards the sea, apparently following through on a previous threat to respond to the US-South Korean exercise.
On Friday, Kim Yo Jong criticised another recent US-led multilateral maritime exercise in the region, describing it as a "frantic military move" by the United States aimed at prolonging its "hegemony in the Asia-Pacific area."
The "Pacific Vanguard" exercise brought together the United States, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
She said "regular U.S.-led war rehearsals" were the main source of worsening tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.
"Our will to defend our sovereignty will be expressed in clearer action and there will be never ever change in the course of intensifying the nuclear war deterrence," she said.
Earlier this month, North Korea conducted what it described as a joint live-fire drill involving missiles, artillery and drones, a day after the United States, South Korea and Japan concluded a five-day trilateral military exercise that Pyongyang had condemned as a provocation.
North Korea said the drill involved firing different types of weapons simultaneously, apparently aimed at developing the capability to overwhelm South Korean and US air defences.
Kim Jong Un has continued to expand North Korea's nuclear arsenal after his high-stakes diplomacy with Trump collapsed in 2019.
Trump ordered the Pentagon to "substantially reduce" the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise with South Korea, citing what he called a good relationship with Kim. North Korea has repeatedly described such exercises as invasion rehearsals.UNI AAB
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