Seoul – Tensions are flaring again on the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Wednesday toward the sea off its east coast, South Korean and Japanese authorities said, just days ahead of major joint military exercises by Seoul and Washington long denounced by Pyongyang.
The missile was launched from the North’s Wonsan area at about 6 a.m. (2100 GMT Tuesday), South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. This is the second launch in less than a week.
South Korean and Japanese defence authorities said the missile flew about 700 km (435 miles).
Second Launch in 6 Days
South Korea said North Korea also fired a short-range ballistic missile from the same Wonsan area on August 6, but Pyongyang did not report that launch in state media.
That August 6 launch was the first such launch in more than 40 days after a series of weapons tests earlier this year.
Wednesday’s launch was its 11th suspected ballistic missile test in 2026, according to South Korean assessments.
Why Now? Ulchi Freedom Shield
The launch comes ahead of joint South Korean-U.S. military drills, dubbed Ulchi Freedom Shield, set to run from August 17 to August 27, aimed at countering Pyongyang’s evolving nuclear and weapons capabilities.
Washington and Seoul say the exercises strengthen their defense capabilities and deterrence against North Korean threats. Pyongyang regularly denounces them as preparations for an invasion.
Analysts say the timing is deliberate. “Even if it was a test of a weapon under development, choosing when to conduct it requires a political decision,” said Hong Min, senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul.
He added the range, trajectory and launch site suggested it may have been a type of hypersonic missile, though a submarine-launched missile was also possible.
Reaction
South Korea and Japan both condemned the launch. Japan lodged a strong protest through diplomatic channels at its embassy in Beijing.
South Korea’s Office of National Security convened an emergency meeting and expressed concern over continued launches that violate U.N. Security Council resolutions. South Korea’s military said it was maintaining readiness to respond “overwhelmingly” to any provocation.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said it was consulting closely with allies, adding that its initial assessment was that the launch posed no immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to its allies.
South Korea’s military said it has heightened its alert for further firings, and is sharing information with the U.S. and Japan.
