North Korea fires ballistic missile into East Sea, Seoul says

North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, on Sunday, prompting South Korea to increase surveillance and convene an emergency security meeting.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was launched from the Wonsan area at about 3:00 p.m. local time, or 0600 GMT.

The military said South Korea, the U.S., and Japan were closely sharing information on the launch and monitoring for possible additional missile activity.

People sit near a television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test, at a train station in Seoul on September 20, 2026. (AFP Photo)

Japan says missile has fallen

Japan’s prime minister’s office also confirmed the launch, describing the projectile as a “suspected ballistic missile.”

The Japanese Defense Ministry later said the missile had “already fallen,” without providing further details.

South Korea’s presidential National Security Office convened an emergency meeting to assess the launch and its impact on national security.

The government urged Pyongyang to “immediately cease” ballistic missile launches, describing Sunday’s firing as a “grave act” that violated U.N. Security Council resolutions.

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Launch follows Sept. 12 missile tests

Sunday’s launch came eight days after North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Sept. 12.

Pyongyang later described those launches as part of a joint firepower drill.

The latest firing also followed North Korea’s rejection this week of an International Atomic Energy Agency resolution calling on it to halt its nuclear activities.

North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said the resolution had “no effect on the DPRK’s position as a nuclear weapons state,” using the country’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

North Korea has enshrined its nuclear-armed status in law and described its atomic arsenal as permanent and irreversible.

Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, recently called the country’s nuclear status “absolute” and described those seeking denuclearization as “idiots.”

U.S. President Donald Trump said in August that North Korea had 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons, while South Korea has estimated the number at between 80 and 120.

September 20, 2026 11:49 AM GMT+03:00