Overview
- South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff detected several ballistic missiles launched from near Pyongyang around 7:50 a.m. local time toward eastern waters.
- The projectiles traveled about 900 kilometers and splashed down at sea, according to South Korean assessments under review with U.S. counterparts.
- Japan issued emergency alerts and reported suspected launches, with authorities later saying there were no reports of damage.
- Seoul’s presidential security office convened an emergency meeting, condemned the launches as violations of U.N. resolutions, and coordinated closely with U.S. and Japanese officials as U.S. Forces Korea assessed no immediate threat.
- The launches coincided with President Lee Jae Myung’s trip to Beijing and followed state media reports that Kim Jong-un ordered a 250% expansion in tactical guided-weapons production ahead of a Workers’ Party congress.