Overview
- South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launch occurred at 12:40 a.m. local time (03:40 GMT) and released no details on the missile’s type or range.
- The launch followed Pyongyang’s pledge to respond to fresh U.S. Treasury sanctions aimed at individuals and firms accused of laundering proceeds to fund its weapons program.
- North Korea has stepped up testing in recent weeks, touting launches of purported hypersonic and cruise missiles.
- Seoul also reported North Korean artillery fire into its western waters this week during U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit for annual security talks.
- South Korea is deepening security coordination with Washington as concerns persist over Pyongyang’s growing arsenal and its closer alignment with Russia, including transfers of weapons and munitions for the war in Ukraine.