North Korea Fires Nearly a Dozen Ballistic Missiles Toward Sea of Japan

North Korea fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles from its east coast on Thursday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, in the latest weapons launch amid border tensions and an unanswered Seoul proposal for military talks.

The missiles were launched from the Wonsan area at around 12:30 p.m. local time, the JCS said. Yonhap put the number at about a dozen, while Reuters and AP cited about 10.

The JCS said the missiles flew about 250 kilometers toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. Seoul and Washington are analyzing their exact specifications.

Japan Says Missiles Fell Outside Its EEZ

Japan’s Defense Ministry said North Korea had launched what could be a ballistic missile and that it was presumed to have fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, according to Yonhap and Reuters. The Japan Coast Guard said no damage to ships had been confirmed as of 12:55 p.m., NHK reported.

The JCS said it has stepped up surveillance and is sharing information with the United States and Japan. “Based on a staunch South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture, our military is closely monitoring various North Korean activities as we maintain the capability and readiness to overwhelmingly respond to any provocation,” it said, according to Yonhap.

Suspected KN-25 Rocket Launchers

A South Korean military official told Yonhap the launch is believed to have involved the KN-25, a 600 mm super-large multiple rocket launcher. Pyongyang claims the system can be fitted with its Hwasan-31 tactical nuclear warheads. The JCS has not confirmed the missile type.

A military official told The Korea Herald the missiles were fired from different types of launchers, including 600 mm multiple rocket launchers. Yonhap reported that the South Korean military also does not rule out a mixed-salvo drill that included cruise missiles, drones or smaller rocket artillery. Clash Report previously covered Kim Jong Un’s inspection of a factory producing 600 mm KN-25 rockets.

Third Ballistic Launch This Month

The launch was North Korea’s first in 17 days. The Korea Herald counted it as the North’s 17th ballistic missile launch of 2026, while Reuters said Pyongyang has conducted missile tests on more than 10 occasions this year.

On Oct. 12, North Korea fired several ballistic missiles, some of which flew more than 900 km, according to Yonhap and SBS. State media later called them tactical ballistic missiles aimed at improving a key weapons component. Reuters counted Thursday’s launch as the third this month. North Korea also fired a missile on Oct. 3 and, tested two types of submarine-launched cruise missiles on Oct. 14, state media reported. Clash Report has also covered North Korea’s expanding missile and drone programs with Russian support.

Launch Follows Unanswered Talks Offer

Thursday’s launch came about a week after Seoul proposed military talks with Pyongyang to confirm the exact location of the Military Demarcation Line and prevent accidental clashes. North Korea has not responded, according to South Korean media reports.

Tensions have risen since a Sept. 21 mine blast in the Demilitarized Zone that wounded three South Korean soldiers. South Korea and the U.S.-led United Nations Command concluded that North Korean troops planted the mines. Pyongyang denies responsibility and has threatened to deploy weapons and resume loudspeaker broadcasts along the border.

Reuters, citing Yonhap, reported that North Korea conducted a test broadcast of loudspeakers aimed at the South on Thursday morning. On Thursday, a JCS spokesperson said North Korea’s display of older artillery near the border should be understood as “for show,” Reuters reported. Clash Report covered the howitzer deployment earlier this week. AP noted the launch also followed Kim Jong Un’s surprise weekend visit to China.

Seoul Holds Emergency Security Meeting

South Korea’s presidential National Security Office held an emergency meeting after the launch. It urged North Korea to stop its repeated ballistic missile launches, calling them a “serious violation” of UN Security Council resolutions, according to Reuters.

No North Korean statement on the launch had been reported at the time of writing.