North Korea Fires Ballistic Missiles Toward East Sea Amid Tensions

North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast on Monday, October 12, 2026, South Korea's military said, as Pyongyang continued weapons testing that has increased tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff detected the launches and said one missile fired from the Pyongyang area traveled more than 900km toward the East Sea, according to Yonhap. Japan's Deputy Defense Minister Takashi Koyari said at least two missiles were launched 17 minutes apart and landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.

Japanese Deputy Defense Minister Takashi Koyari described one missile's flight path as unusual during his assessment of the launch.

"Irregular," said Takashi Koyari, Deputy Defense Minister of Japan. Koyari said the second missile traveled more than 910km after following an unusual trajectory and suggested it could have been a hypersonic weapon. He also said another missile traveled about 220km.

South Korea's presidential office said the launches violated United Nations Security Council resolutions and called for Pyongyang to stop the activity. "Korean Peninsula theatre of operations," said South Korea's presidential office, referring to the operational area described in its statement on hypersonic weapons.

The office made the statement after President Lee Jae Myung oversaw South Korea's first public test-firing of a hypersonic missile on Thursday, with officials saying the weapon would strengthen strike capabilities once developed. South Korea had earlier been working to create conditions for renewed discussions with North Korea and the United States. "Preliminary coordination efforts," said Seoul officials, describing steps intended to facilitate dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington.

North Korea's latest launch followed its October 3 test of an intermediate-range strategic missile, which state media said was overseen by leader Kim Jong Un.

Yonhap reported that North Korean state media described the October 3 launch as training for missile troops operating the "hypersonic strategic weapon system." The North Korean government has continued rejecting US and South Korean demands for denuclearization as a condition for talks, while calling for an end to what it describes as Washington's "hostile" policy.