North Korea launched several short-range ballistic missiles towards the East Sea on Sunday, as confirmed by South Korea’s military. The missiles were detected by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) originating from the Sinpho area in the North and traveling approximately 140 kilometers. The JCS stated that they are closely monitoring North Korea’s activities in coordination with the US to respond decisively to any provocation.
South Korean and US intelligence agencies have been monitoring the situation and have shared relevant information with Japan. There are speculations that the recent launch may have involved a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), given the presence of submarine-related facilities in Sinpho. North Korea had previously test-fired an SLBM in the same area in May 2022.
This recent launch follows North Korea’s previous firing of multiple short-range ballistic missiles on April 8, with additional tests conducted in the following days. State media from North Korea reported that the country had tested various weapons systems, including a tactical ballistic missile with a cluster bomb warhead. The launches have been met with condemnation from South Korea, the US, and calls for an immediate halt in missile provocations.
