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🇸🇬 Singapore /Conflict & Security

North Korea fired a ballistic missile, South Korean military says

From The Straits Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

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  • North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Wednesday, according to South Korea's military.
  • The missile landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, with Seoul and Tokyo sharing information with the U.S.
  • The launch precedes upcoming joint military drills between South Korea and the U.S., which Pyongyang has previously condemned.

North Korea launched a ballistic missile into the sea off its east coast on Wednesday, South Korea's military reported. The missile, fired from the Wonsan area around 6 a.m. local time, appeared to have landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the launch and stated that the military has increased surveillance and is maintaining readiness for further launches, while coordinating closely with the United States and Japan.

The missile appeared to have landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the sea.

— NHKReporting on the landing location of the North Korean missile.

The launch occurs just days before South Korea and the U.S. are scheduled to begin major joint military drills, set to run from August 17 to August 27. These annual exercises are designed to counter North Korea's growing nuclear and weapons capabilities. Pyongyang has historically denounced these drills as provocative actions.

North Korea fired the missile from the Wonsan area at around 6 a.m. (2100 GMT on Tuesday).

— South Korea's Joint Chiefs of StaffProviding details on the timing and origin of the missile launch.

This incident follows a series of weapons tests by North Korea this year, including short-range ballistic missiles and artillery rockets. Just last week, the South Korean military reported another short-range ballistic missile launch by the North. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia had used a North Korean ballistic missile in a recent attack on a Ukrainian steel plant, which resulted in the deaths of seven workers. North Korea's state media also recently criticized Japan's latest defense white paper, calling it a move to revive militarism and using an alleged security threat from Pyongyang to justify its own arms buildup.

Pyongyang has in previous years denounced the annual drills as a provocation.

— The Straits TimesDescribing North Korea's historical reaction to South Korea-U.S. military exercises.
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Originally published by The Straits Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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