North Korea fired several ballistic missiles towards the sea off its eastern coast on Sunday, according to reports from military officials in South Korea and Japan.
This latest incident marks the country’s seventh ballistic missile test in 2026 and the fourth such launch conducted in April alone, reports AP.
The projectiles were launched from the vicinity of the eastern city of Sinpo around 6:10am local time (21:10 GMT Saturday). In response to the activity, South Korea’s military confirmed it has heightened its surveillance posture and is maintaining close coordination with both the United States and Japan.
Following the launches, the South Korean presidential office convened an emergency security meeting to address the situation. Meanwhile, the Japanese government indicated that the missiles are believed to have landed near the Korean Peninsula’s east coast, though no breach of Japan’s exclusive economic zone was reported.
While these tests are in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, Pyongyang continues to reject the international ban, asserting that its missile programme is a sovereign right essential for self-defence.
The escalation follows recent statements from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi, who on Wednesday described North Korea’s nuclear weapon progress as “very serious”. Grossi noted the probable addition of a new uranium enrichment facility within the isolated nation.
Leader Kim Jong Un has recently reaffirmed that North Korea’s status as a nuclear-armed state is “irreversible” and that the expansion of a “self-defensive nuclear deterrent” remains a national security priority.
These military manoeuvres take place as regional powers prepare for a mid-May summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, where North Korean affairs are expected to be a primary topic of discussion.
