According to information from the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Korea, the launches were recorded in the area of Sondok on North Korea's east coast. The first launch occurred at 09:52 Seoul time (which corresponds to 06:52 in Bishkek).
Circumstances and reaction to the incident
According to the JCS, the military is monitoring the North's actions as part of the joint defense of the South and the United States and is ready to respond to any provocations. Notably, Japan's Ministry of Defense, which usually issues an alert when launches threaten the country, did not issue such a warning this time.
Nature of the launches
The exact number of projectiles launched and their type were not disclosed, and it is unclear whether they were ballistic missiles. It is estimated that the absence of an alert from Japan's Ministry of Defense may indicate that artillery systems, shorter-range missiles or other weapons were tested.
Previous incidents
This is already North Korea's fourth launch in the past week. The country previously tested 600 mm rocket artillery as well as cruise and ballistic missiles with cluster warheads. It is noted that on October 29 North Korea fired about ten short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area, which prompted a protest from Japan through its embassy in Beijing.
Context
These launches come amid general tension between the two Koreas. The trigger for the escalation was a mine explosion in the demilitarized zone on September 21, which injured three South Koreans.
- North Korea carried out several missile launches into the Sea of Japan
- South Korea and the United States are analyzing the characteristics of the missiles
- The first launch was recorded at 09:52 Seoul time
According to the JCS, the military is monitoring the North's actions as part of the joint defense of the South and the United States and is ready to respond to any provocations.
