North Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles toward east coast, South Korea says
Quick Look
- North Korea launched several short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area toward the sea off its east coast on Saturday, flying about 250 km, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- The launches occurred despite Donald Trump's recent push for talks with Kim Jong-un, prompting an emergency security meeting in Seoul and coordinated intelligence sharing with the US and Japan.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
North Korea has conducted multiple missile tests in recent months, often in response to joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States or as leverage in diplomatic negotiations. The launches come despite recent efforts by former US President Donald Trump to reopen dialogue with Kim Jong-un.
The ballistic missiles, which flew about 250km, were fired despite Donald Trump’s recent push for talks with Kim Jong-un
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Published: 9:00am, 12 Sep 2026Updated: 9:01am, 12 Sep 2026
North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area towards the sea off its east coast, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said on Saturday.
The missiles were launched at around 5.20am and flew about 250 km (155 miles), the JCS said in a statement, adding that South Korean and US authorities were conducting a detailed analysis of their specifications.
South Korean and US intelligence authorities had tracked and shared information on the launches from the outset, while information on the ballistic missiles was also shared with Japan, the JCS said.
“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,” the JCS said in a statement.
South Korea’s presidential National Security Office convened an emergency security meeting involving the defence ministry, the JCS and other relevant agencies following the launch, the presidential office said.
Officials reviewed the government’s response, assessed the impact of the launches on South Korea’s security and examined necessary measures, the presidential office said. It urged North Korea to immediately stop ballistic missile launches, calling them a serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
South Korea and the United States will conduct joint military exercises in response to the launches
Likely · Within weeks
The UN Security Council will condemn the missile launches and consider additional sanctions
Possible · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What specific type of short-range ballistic missiles were launched?
- Will North Korea conduct further missile tests in the near future?
- How will the UN Security Council respond to this latest violation of its resolutions?
