North Korea has launched a ballistic missile into waters off its eastern coast, South Korea’s military said on Wednesday, days before the start of a major joint military exercise between Seoul and Washington.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was detected at about 6:00 am local time after being launched from the Wonsan area towards the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan.
Japan’s Defence Ministry also confirmed the launch, describing the projectile as a suspected ballistic missile. It said the missile was believed to have already fallen, but provided no further details on its flight path or range.
The launch came ahead of the annual 11-day US-South Korea military exercise, Ulchi Freedom Shield, scheduled to begin on Monday.
The drills are designed to strengthen the allies’ readiness to respond to potential threats from North Korea.
Pyongyang has repeatedly condemned the exercises as preparations for an invasion and has previously conducted missile tests around the period of the annual drills.
“North Korea has never simply let a South Korea-US joint military exercise pass without a response,” said Lim Eul-chul, a North Korea expert at Kyungnam University.
He said the latest launch appeared to signal that Pyongyang was closely monitoring the upcoming exercises and could take further action if it deemed necessary.
Tensions With Japan
The missile launch also comes amid growing tensions between North Korea and Japan.
Pyongyang has accused Tokyo of abandoning its pacifist approach and expanding its military capabilities. Japan has increased defence spending, strengthened security partnerships and deployed missile systems on some of its outer islands.
North Korea has also deepened military cooperation with Russia amid Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Pyongyang has supported Russia in the conflict, while Ukrainian officials have accused Moscow of using North Korean missiles in recent attacks.
Experts say North Korea has gained financial and military benefits from its cooperation with Russia, while the deployment of North Korean troops overseas has provided them with battlefield experience.
18,000 South Korean Troops to Take Part
The upcoming US-South Korea drills are expected to involve about 18,000 South Korean troops and personnel from the roughly 28,500 US troops stationed in the country.
US and South Korean officials say the exercise will incorporate lessons learned from conflicts involving North Korean forces overseas.
The latest missile launch is likely to heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula as Seoul and Washington prepare to begin the joint military exercise.
