12.10.2026 10:17
It was learned that North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles toward the East Sea (Sea of Japan), and that the missiles traveled more than 900 kilometers and fell outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.
A development that would increase military tension between North Korea and South Korea has occurred. The South Korean military announced that North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the East Sea (Sea of Japan).
In a statement by South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), it was noted that the missiles were launched from the Pyongyang area at around 09:20 local time and traveled more than 900 kilometers, and it said, "The South Korean military has increased surveillance activities against possible additional launches. Our military continues to remain on alert by sharing information with the US and Japan."
SOUTH KOREA GOES ON ALERT
Pyongyang's latest missile test put the Seoul government on alert. South Korea's National Security Office (NSO), the Ministry of National Defense, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff held an emergency meeting with the participation of officials and discussed North Korea's increasing missile tests and security measures against them. South Korean Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said, "North Korea's repeated ballistic missile tests are serious acts that violate United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions and in no way contribute to the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, and the NSO demands that they be stopped immediately."
JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER TAKAICHI INSTRUCTS GOVERNMENT
The Japanese government also confirmed North Korea's missile tests. In a statement from Japan's Ministry of Defense, it was recorded that the missiles, assessed to be ballistic missiles, were launched between 09:20 and 09:40 and, according to initial assessments, fell outside Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). While the Japan Coast Guard announced that as of 10:00 no damage had been detected on ships in the region, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also instructed relevant agencies to take necessary measures and be prepared for unexpected situations.
TIMING DREW ATTENTION
It drew attention that North Korea's missile test today came after South Korea announced that it had successfully conducted a test of its first domestically developed hypersonic missile system last Thursday. Pyongyang last conducted a missile test on October 3, and the North Korean government announced that a hypersonic strategic weapon system had been tested as part of a military exercise.