On Wednesday morning, North Korea once again launched a ballistic missile into the eastern sea. The missile flew approximately 700 kilometers, landing in the waters outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This launch marked North Korea’s second test of a ballistic missile in less than a week, coming just ahead of the annual joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States, sparking high concern from the United States, Japan, and South Korea.
According to reports from South Korean and Japanese media, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the eastern sea from the Wonsan area at around 6 a.m. on that day. Military analysts from South Korea and Japan estimated that the missile traveled a distance of about 690 to 700 kilometers, reached a maximum altitude of around 90 kilometers, and eventually landed outside Japan’s EEZ without directly impacting Japan.
Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono stated that North Korea’s consecutive missile launches pose a threat to Japan, the region, and international peace and security. Japan has lodged strong protests against North Korea through diplomatic channels and is working with the United States and South Korea to analyze the specifics of this launch.
The National Security Council of South Korea held an emergency meeting, condemning North Korea for continuing to violate United Nations Security Council resolutions. South Korea also indicated that the South Korea-U.S. joint defense system will maintain a high state of readiness to counter any further provocative actions from North Korea.
This launch marks North Korea’s second ballistic missile launch within six days, following the short-range ballistic missile launch from Wonsan on August 6. It is the 11th ballistic missile launch this year. Notably, as of now, North Korean state media has not officially reported this launch.
South Korean military officials stated that South Korea, the U.S., and Japan have strengthened intelligence sharing and surveillance measures, closely monitoring North Korea’s subsequent movements.
The missile launch coincides with the upcoming South Korea-U.S. Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) joint military exercise. The annual joint military exercise is scheduled to take place from August 17 to 27, with approximately 18,000 South Korean troops participating. The exercise will focus on training for military capabilities related to North Korea’s nuclear weapons, missiles, drones, electronic warfare, and cyber attacks.
In addition, the Japanese government recently released the 2026 Defense White Paper, highlighting North Korea’s continued development of short-range ballistic missiles with low-altitude flight and strong maneuvering capabilities, posing a serious security threat to Japan. North Korean state media criticized the White Paper, accusing Japan of expanding its military power under the pretext of the “North Korean threat.”
(Contributions to this article by Reuters)