North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles off its east coast on Monday, South Korea's military said, in a fresh show of force amid heightened tensions over border landmine explosions that injured three South Korean soldiers last month.
Seoul said the missiles were launched from Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, and that South Korean forces had increased surveillance in response. Japan also confirmed it had detected at least one suspected ballistic missile, according to officials in Tokyo.
The launches mark the latest in a series of weapons tests by the North, which has continued to develop its ballistic missile programme despite international sanctions and repeated warnings from the United States, South Korea and their allies. The missiles were fired toward the sea off the Korean peninsula's east coast, a common trajectory for North Korean tests that avoids flying over neighbouring territory.
The reported launch site in Pyongyang is significant because the capital is not typically used for ballistic missile tests, which are more often conducted from mobile launchers in the country's eastern or northern regions. Analysts have previously noted that launches from the capital area could be intended to demonstrate the military's ability to operate from heavily populated or politically symbolic locations.
South Korea's military said it was maintaining a heightened readiness posture and would continue to monitor the North for further provocations. The office of the President in Seoul has not yet issued a formal statement on the launches, but the National Security Council is expected to convene to assess the situation.
The missile activity follows a period of rising tension along the inter-Korean border. Last month, landmine explosions in the Demilitarised Zone injured three South Korean soldiers, an incident that Seoul has blamed on the North. Pyongyang has not publicly commented on the explosions.
The border area, which is heavily fortified and monitored, has seen occasional incidents over the years, but the injury of soldiers in a landmine blast has drawn particular attention. South Korea has vowed to respond firmly to any further provocations, while also seeking to maintain stability along the frontier.
Japan's defence ministry said it was working to determine the full details of the launch, including the number and type of missiles fired. Japanese officials have repeatedly condemned North Korean missile tests as a threat to regional security and a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The United States, which maintains a military presence in South Korea and Japan, has not yet issued a statement on Monday's launches. Washington has previously called for North Korea to return to denuclearisation talks, which have stalled for several years.
North Korea has conducted dozens of missile tests in recent years, including intercontinental ballistic missiles and shorter-range weapons. The tests are often timed to coincide with political events or military exercises by South Korea and the United States, which Pyongyang views as rehearsals for invasion.
Monday's launches come as South Korea and the United States are expected to hold joint military drills in the coming weeks, a routine exercise that North Korea typically condemns. The North has warned that such drills could undermine stability on the peninsula.
South Korea's military said it would continue to coordinate closely with the United States and Japan to monitor North Korea's activities and to maintain a combined defence posture. The government in Seoul has urged Pyongyang to cease provocations and return to dialogue.
The situation on the Korean peninsula remains tense, with no sign of a diplomatic breakthrough. The international community has called for restraint from all sides, while North Korea has shown no willingness to abandon its weapons programmes.
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