North Korea Fires Multiple Ballistic Missiles Toward East Sea, Fourth Launch in a Month

North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast on Monday, South Korea’s military said, in Pyongyang’s fourth missile launch in a month and its latest show of force amid rising tensions between the two Koreas.

The missiles, which appeared to be of different types, were fired at around 9:20 a.m. local time (0020 GMT) from near Pyongyang, and at least one type flew more than 900 kilometres (559 miles), South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

FAKTA

• When: Monday, 12 October 2026, about 9:20 a.m. Korea time (0020 GMT)
• What: Multiple ballistic missiles launched from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea
• Range: At least one missile type flew more than 900 km, according to South Korea’s military
• Response: South Korea’s National Security Office held an emergency meeting and condemned the launches as violations of UN Security Council resolutions
• Context: Pyongyang’s fourth launch in a month, days after South Korea’s first test-firing of a hypersonic missile

South Korea calls emergency security meeting

South Korea’s National Security Office convened an emergency meeting after the launches, where it condemned the missile launches as violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions and urged an immediate stop, South Korea’s military said.

Japan’s coast guard said North Korea had fired two unidentified projectiles, believed to be ballistic missiles, adding that both appeared to have already fallen. The missiles landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

North Korea has been under UN sanctions since 2006, aimed at halting Pyongyang’s development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

Show of force after Seoul’s hypersonic test

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday’s launches appeared to be “a show of force in response to the successful test launch of our hypersonic missile, as well as an intentional demonstration of missile capabilities,” a military spokesperson said.

Last week, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung oversaw the country’s first test-firing of a hypersonic missile, a rare public showcasing of a missile test by a South Korean president.

North Korea last fired a ballistic missile on October 3, with state media KCNA saying it was a hypersonic missile tested under the supervision of leader Kim Jong Un.

The launches come as tensions between the two Koreas have been rising in recent weeks amid weapons tests by both countries.

More coverage of the Korean peninsula is available in Watan News’ Asia section.