This undated photo provided Dec. 19, 2023, by the North Korean government shows what it says is an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) being prepared to launch from an undisclosed location in North Korea. Korea Central News Agency/KCNA via KNS
North Korea fires projectile into East Sea, Seoul says
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- The launch follows multiple ballistic missile launches on Oct.12, which Seoul linked to tensions surrounding South Korea’s hypersonic missile test
North Korea fired an unidentified projectile toward the East Sea on Thursday, South Korea’s military said, amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula following a series of weapons tests and disputes along the inter-Korean border.
“The North fired an unidentified projectile into the East Sea,” South Korea’s military said, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan.
The military did not immediately provide further details about the projectile, including its type, flight distance or trajectory.
The launch follows a series of North Korean weapons tests this month. On Oct. 12, Pyongyang fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, with South Korea’s military describing the launches as an apparent show of force following Seoul’s successful test of a domestically developed hypersonic missile. The Oct. 12 launches came nine days after another North Korean missile test.
North Korea’s weapons development has long been a source of regional tension. Pyongyang has been subject to United Nations sanctions since 2006 over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.
Tensions between the two Koreas have also risen following a September landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone that injured three South Korean soldiers. Seoul blamed North Korea for the incident, while Pyongyang denied responsibility.
South Korea proposed military talks on Oct. 23 to clarify the disputed land border, restore military communication channels and prevent accidental clashes. North Korea’s response to the proposal remained uncertain.
The latest launch comes as efforts to ease tensions on the peninsula face significant obstacles, with the two sides maintaining sharply conflicting positions over border security and military activities.
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