SEOUL, September 20 — North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan, the first such provocation since the current US presidential administration took office, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff and Japan’s Ministry of Defense. South Korean military officials said the missiles were launched from an inland area and flew approximately 300 kilometers before splashing down in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Japanese authorities said the projectiles landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
No damage or casualties were reported. The launches came hours after the Korean Central News Agency, North Korea’s state-run outlet, published a commentary accusing the United States of hostile policies and vowing to strengthen its nuclear deterrent.
The timing suggests Pyongyang intended to dial up pressure on Washington, according to state and international reports.
A pattern of escalation
The test is the latest in a string of provocations that began in 2022, when North Korea launched more than 70 ballistic missiles, including an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the US mainland. In 2023, Pyongyang continued its aggressive testing schedule, firing a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM and attempting to place a military reconnaissance satellite into orbit.
The United States has responded by expanding joint military exercises with South Korea and Japan, including the trilateral Freedom Edge exercise held in June 2024, and by deploying strategic assets such as B-1B bombers and nuclear-powered aircraft carriers to the region. North Korea has long demanded that the United States end its joint military drills with South Korea and lift economic sanctions, which have been in place since 2006.
Diplomatic talks between Washington and Pyongyang have been stalled since the 2019 Hanoi summit between then-President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un ended without an agreement.
Condemnation and response
The US State Department condemned the launches, calling them a violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 1718 (2006), Resolution 1874 (2009), Resolution 2087 (2013), Resolution 2094 (2013), and Resolution 2270 (2016). All prohibit North Korea from conducting ballistic missile tests. South Korea’s presidential office convened an emergency National Security Council meeting.
Japan’s Prime Minister instructed his government to gather intelligence and ensure the safety of Japanese vessels and aircraft. South Korea’s military said it is maintaining a heightened surveillance posture and is coordinating closely with US Forces Korea.
The launches also come amid heightened global tensions, including the ongoing war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East, which North Korea may be seeking to exploit. The United Nations Security Council is expected to meet in the coming days to discuss the launches, though divisions among permanent members — particularly between the United States and Russia, which has deepened ties with North Korea — may prevent a unified response.
Decades of denuclearization efforts
North Korea conducted its first nuclear test in 2006 and has since conducted six nuclear tests, the most recent in 2017. The country declared itself a nuclear weapons state in 2012 and has repeatedly stated it will never give up its nuclear arsenal. The United States has maintained that it seeks the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea, a goal that remains elusive.
As of September 20, there have been no reports of additional launches, but analysts warn that North Korea may conduct further provocations, including a possible nuclear test, in the coming weeks.
