North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles following recent weapons tests

UPDATE - follow-up to North Korea fired projectile towards sea, South Korean military says: North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters on Monday, adding to a streak of weapons demonstrations amid a prolonged freeze in diplomacy. Jang Do-young, spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that various missile types were launched from the area around Pyongyang. One of the missiles travelled more than 900 kilometres before landing in the sea, though authorities did not specify the total number of missiles detected or provide full flight details for all of them.

Reactions And Protests

Japan's Deputy Defense Minister Takashi Koyari reported that Japan detected at least two launches 17 minutes apart, with the weapons landing outside its exclusive economic zone. The first missile flew roughly 220 kilometres while the second flew over 910 kilometres along an irregular flight path. South Korea's Presidential National Security Office urged North Korea to immediately stop its repeated ballistic launches, noting they violate U.N. Security Council resolutions. Japan also lodged a formal protest through embassies in Beijing, while no damage to vessels or aircraft was reported.

Context

These events reflect ongoing military tensions and weapons testing on the Korean Peninsula, where long-standing diplomatic efforts have stalled. Such actions typically involve mutual demonstrations of military readiness and advanced missile capabilities by regional actors.