South Korea reports that North Korea launched multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the eastern sea on Thursday, calling it a “clear act of provocation.”
According to Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson for the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, the launches may have been a test of weapons North Korea intends to export, as it continues to supply military equipment and personnel to support Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the missiles were launched from the vicinity of Wonsan, a port city on North Korea’s eastern coast, between approximately 8:10 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. local time on Thursday, with the longest distance traveled being around 497 miles.
Lee suggested the tests likely involved a vehicle-launched short-range ballistic missile system, potentially modeled after Russia’s Iskander missile, as well as large-caliber rocket artillery systems.
The South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies detected launch preparations beforehand and tracked the missiles after launch, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The Associated Press reports that the Joint Chiefs issued a statement condemning the launches as a “clear act of provocation” that threatens regional peace and stability. South Korean military officials are currently analyzing potential links between the tests and North Korea’s weapons exports to Russia.
In early March, North Korea fired several ballistic missiles into the sea shortly after South Korea and the United States commenced their first major joint military exercise of President Donald Trump’s second term.
“We are aware of the DPRK’s multiple ballistic missile launches and are consulting closely with the Republic of Korea and Japan, as well as other regional allies and partners. The United States condemns these actions and calls on the DPRK to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts,” the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement at the time.
These launches occurred after South Korean and U.S. forces initiated their annual Freedom Shield exercise.
After months of denying involvement in the war, North Korea confirmed last month that it had sent combat troops to assist Russia in retaking areas of the Kursk region, which had been captured by a surprise Ukrainian incursion the previous year. Moscow also acknowledged North Korean involvement, with issuing a statement thanking North Korea for sending troops and promising to remember their sacrifices.
Recent South Korean intelligence assessments indicate that North Korea has sent approximately 15,000 soldiers to Russia, with nearly 5,000 reportedly killed or wounded in action against Ukrainian forces, according to the AP. Washington and Seoul have also accused North Korea of providing Russia with various military equipment, including artillery systems, shells, and ballistic missiles.
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