Overview
- South Korea's defense ministry detected multiple projectiles launched from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea at about 7:50 a.m. local time.
- Japan's defense ministry reported a suspected ballistic missile that fell around 8:08 a.m. local time, with the impact area not disclosed.
- Tokyo condemned the test as an unacceptable threat to regional and international security, according to Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.
- Analysts linked the timing to recent U.S. actions in Venezuela, describing the launch as a signal tied to Pyongyang's longstanding concerns about Washington.
- KCNA recently reported Kim Jong-un ordered a 250% capacity increase at a guided-weapons plant, and the launch came hours before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed for a summit in China.