North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles towards the sea

What the report says

North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast on Monday, according to South Korea’s military, in a development reported by Al Jazeera and wire services. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said one missile traveled more than 900km from the Pyongyang area, while Japan’s coastguard said it detected two unidentified projectiles it believed were ballistic missiles. The exact number launched was not specified by Seoul.

South Korean officials described the action as a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and called for an immediate halt. A military spokesperson in Seoul said the latest launch appeared to be a show of force after South Korea tested a hypersonic missile last week. That test, overseen by President Lee Jae Myung, was described by his office as part of efforts to strengthen strike capabilities if fully developed.

The missile launch comes amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea conducted its own hypersonic missile test on October 3, and relations have worsened after a landmine blast in the Demilitarized Zone wounded South Korean soldiers. More broadly, the report places the launch in the context of stalled diplomacy between Pyongyang and Washington, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un continuing to promote the country’s weapons program while rejecting calls to return to negotiations.