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North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Wednesday, marking its first missile launch since South Korean President Lee Jae Myung took office in June, according to South Korea’s military.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the missiles were launched around 8:10 a.m. local time (23:10 GMT Tuesday) from Junghwa in North Hwanghae Province, traveling northeast toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. The missiles reportedly flew about 350 kilometers (217 miles) before falling inland, the JCS said.
“Our military has stepped up monitoring in preparation for possible additional launches and is maintaining a firm readiness posture while sharing information with the United States and Japan,” the statement added.
The launch marks North Korea’s fifth ballistic missile test this year and comes just days before South Korea hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in the city of Gyeongju on Oct. 31–Nov. 1.
Experts had warned that Pyongyang could carry out missile tests before or during the APEC summit to assert its presence as Seoul prepares to host world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Park Won-gon, a professor at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, said the launch appeared aimed at “asserting the regime’s presence during an event hosted by Seoul, as it has done before.”
A meeting of South Korea’s National Security Council was convened in Seoul following the launch, where national security and defense officials reviewed the military’s response and assessed the potential impact on the Korean Peninsula.
The missile test coincides with growing speculation over potential future contacts between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Lee and Trump are expected to meet during the APEC summit, and U.S. officials have discussed, but not confirmed, the possibility of a symbolic visit to the demilitarized zone (DMZ).
North Korea has steadily advanced its missile capabilities despite international sanctions. Earlier this month, Kim Jong Un unveiled the country’s new long-range Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile at a military parade in Pyongyang, attended by Chinese and Russian officials.
Trump, who met Kim three times during his first term, recently said he hopes to meet him again. Pyongyang, for its part, has said Kim is open to talks but would never give up the country’s nuclear arsenal.
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