22.10.2025 08:20
North Korea raised tensions in the region by conducting its first ballistic missile test after a five-month hiatus, just before the APEC Summit. The test occurred days before U.S. President Donald Trump and other leaders were set to attend the summit in South Korea.
```html
North Korea raised tensions in the Asia-Pacific region by conducting its first ballistic missile test after five months of silence. The test was carried out just days before U.S. President Donald Trump and other leaders were set to attend a summit in South Korea.
SOUTH KOREA: MULTIPLE SHORT-RANGE MISSILES LAUNCHED
According to a statement from the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, multiple short-range ballistic missiles were launched from a region located south of Pyongyang. It was reported that each missile traveled approximately 350 kilometers (217 miles) and was fired in a northeastern direction. However, the location where the missiles landed was not disclosed.
The South Korean military emphasized that they are "prepared against all provocations from North Korea, relying on a strong military alliance with the U.S."
JAPAN: DID NOT LAND IN OUR TERRITORY
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that the missiles did not reach Japanese territorial waters or exclusive economic zones and that "we have not received any damage reports." Takaichi also reported that Tokyo is "in close contact by sharing real-time missile warning data" with Washington and Seoul.
SHOW OF FORCE BEFORE APEC
The timing of the test, occurring just before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit that South Korea will host next week, is noteworthy. The summit aims to strengthen economic integration and trade and does not have a military aspect.
U.S. President Donald Trump will hold bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Gyeongju. However, Trump is not expected to attend the main APEC session scheduled for October 30 to November 1.
PYONGYANG'S MESSAGE: "BE RECOGNIZED AS A NUCLEAR POWER"
Experts suggest that the Pyongyang administration is reminding the international community of its demand to be "recognized as a nuclear power" through these launches. This status is seen as a fundamental condition for lifting the heavy economic sanctions imposed by the United Nations.
North Korea's latest ballistic missile test was conducted as part of a "nuclear counterattack" drill against the U.S. and South Korea on May 8. This latest test was the first incident following the promise of South Korean leader Lee Jae Myung, who took office in June, to "restore peace on the Korean Peninsula."
KIM JONG UN INTRODUCED NEW ICBM
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has recently increased the pace of weapon tests. After the collapse of nuclear negotiations with Trump in 2019, contacts with Washington regarding the lifting of sanctions have been fruitless.
Kim introduced a new intercontinental ballistic missile named "Hwasong-20" during the military parade on October 10. State media described this system as "the country's most powerful nuclear strategic weapon." According to military observers, this missile is capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads that can evade U.S. defense systems and is expected to be tested in the coming months.
```