North Korea launches ballistic missile days before US-South Korea military drills
South Korea’s Office of National Security has convened an emergency meeting, urging Pyongyang to cease provocations that breach UN Security Council resolutions, as regional allies prepare for large-scale defensive training.
North Korea launched a ballistic missile into waters off its east coast on Wednesday morning, marking the second such test in less than a week. The launch occurred just days before the commencement of the annual US-South Korea 'Ulchi Freedom Shield' military exercises. Pyongyang has historically condemned these drills as rehearsals for invasion, while Washington and Seoul maintain they are defensive in nature. The missile flew over 700km before landing in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.
South Korea's Office of National Security convened an emergency meeting, urging Pyongyang to halt provocations that violate UN Security Council resolutions. The launch was detected by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff and launched from the Wonsan area in Kangwon Province at about 6am local time. Japanese authorities also confirmed the missile fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. This marks the 11th suspected ballistic missile test by North Korea this year, according to Seoul.
Analysts suggest the timing was intended as a warning ahead of the drills, which involve approximately 46,500 troops and aim to counter North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile capabilities. The exercises, scheduled for August 17-27, involve 18,000 South Korean troops and roughly 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea. The drills specifically aim to counter Pyongyang’s growing military cooperation with Russia.
Colonel Ryan Donald, spokesman for the US and South Korean Combined Forces Command, stated that North Korean soldiers have brought lessons learned from assisting Russia in Ukraine back to North Korea. This assessment comes amid claims by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Moscow used a North Korean ballistic missile in an attack on a steel plant in Zaporizhzhia, killing 12 workers.
The launch follows a previous test on August 6 from the same area, which Pyongyang did not confirm. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, previously warned of "additional military options" after Japan test-fired a Tomahawk cruise missile. South Korea and Japan have condemned the latest launch, with Seoul reiterating its readiness to respond to any provocation alongside the United States.
