North Korea launched two ballistic missiles on Monday, confirmed South Korea’s military, marking the latest in a series of weapons tests by Pyongyang that have further strained relations with Seoul.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported that a short-range ballistic missile was launched in the early morning, followed by a second, yet unidentified missile approximately 10 minutes later. “Our military has strengthened surveillance and vigilance in preparation for further launches,” the JCS said, adding that it had shared information about the incidents with the United States and Japan.
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North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) did not immediately confirm the launches.
Last week, North Korea claimed to have successfully tested a multiple warhead missile, but the South Korean military stated that the launch ended in a mid-air explosion.
Relations between the two Koreas are at a historic low, with North Korea intensifying weapons tests and sending balloons filled with trash into the South. Pyongyang claims these actions are in retaliation for anti-regime propaganda leaflets sent north by South Korean activists.
In response to North Korea’s repeated missile launches, South Korea has fully suspended a tension-reducing military treaty, resumed propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts, and conducted live-fire drills near the border.
South Korea is also concerned about North Korea’s growing ties with Russia. North Korea is accused of breaching arms control measures by supplying weapons to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang in June, signalling a show of unity.
On Sunday, Pyongyang condemned joint military drills conducted by South Korea, Japan, and the United States, describing them as an “Asian version of NATO” and warning of “fatal consequences.” The three-day “Freedom Edge” exercises included preparation for ballistic missile and air defences, anti-submarine warfare, and defensive cyber training.
While Pyongyang has historically denounced similar combined exercises as rehearsals for invasion, Seoul maintains that the latest exercises are part of routine defensive drills that have been held regularly for years.
