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Kyodo News
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Kyodo News
North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles, no damage reported
KYODO NEWS - 8 hours ago - 16:12 | World, All North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan on Thursday, South Korea and Japan said, with no damage reported so far after the first such act by Pyongyang in almost two months. The missiles were fired between 8:10 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. from the Wonsan area in the eastern part of the country, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, adding it detected launches of various types of short-range ballistic missiles from the area. Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters in Tokyo that one of the missiles that was launched around 9:20 a.m. reached a maximum altitude of around 100 kilometers and may have flown on an irregular trajectory. The projectiles are estimated to have fallen outside Japan's exclusive economic zone and no damage to ships or planes has been reported, Nakatani said, adding that Tokyo has lodged a stern protest with Pyongyang over the incident. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a press conference that North Korea's missile development "threatens peace" and is "unacceptable." The missiles flew as far as approximately 800 km before falling into the sea, the South Korean military said. North Korea last launched missiles on March 10 toward the sea, hours after South Korea and the United States began their large-scale annual joint military exercise called Freedom Shield. The latest missile activity by Pyongyang came as its military cooperates with Moscow in Russia's war against Ukraine and ahead of South Korea's June 3 presidential election to choose the successor to Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted from office last month over his short-lived declaration of martial law in December. Related coverage: North Korea test-fires new destroyer's weapons system Families of Japanese abducted by North Korea call for Trump's support North Korea confirms troop deployment to Russia under bilateral pact
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Korea launches short-range ballistic missiles into sea, South Korea says
North Korea launched several short-range ballistic missiles into its eastern sea Thursday in what South Korea is calling a "clear act of provocation." Lee Sung Joon, a spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the launches were possibly intended to test the performance of weapons that North Korea plans to export as it continues to send military equipment and troops to fuel Russia's warfighting against Ukraine. The agency said multiple missiles were launched from an area around North Korea's eastern port city of Wonsan from about 8:10 to 9:20 a.m. local time Thursday, with the farthest traveling about 497 miles. Lee said the tests likely involved a short-range ballistic missile system launched from vehicles — possibly modeled after Russia's Iskander missile -- and also large-caliber rocket artillery systems. 600 North Korean Troops Killed While Fighting Ukraine, South Korea Says The Joint Chiefs said South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities detected the launch preparations in advance and tracked the missiles after they were launched. Read On The Fox News App It issued a statement denouncing the launches as a "clear act of provocation" that threatens peace and stability in the region, according to the Associated Press. South Korean military officials are now analyzing whether the tests were linked to the North's weapons exports to Russia. In early March, North Korea fired several ballistic missiles into the sea just hours after South Korea and the United States kicked off their first major joint military exercise of President Donald Trump's second term. "We are aware of the DPRK's multiple ballistic missile launches and are consulting closely with the Republic of Korea and Japan, as well as other regional allies and partners. The United States condemns these actions and calls on the DPRK to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts," the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement at the time. North Korea Fires Missiles As Us, South Korea Begin Their First Joint Military Exercise Of Trump's Second Term Those launches come after South Korean and U.S. forces began their annual Freedom Shield exercise. After denying its war involvement for months, North Korea last month confirmed for the first time that it had sent combat troops to help Russia in recapturing parts of the Kursk region, which had fallen to a surprise Ukrainian incursion last year. Moscow also acknowledged the North Korean involvement, with Russian President Vladimir Putin issuing a statement thanking the North for sending troops to support his forces and promising not to forget their sacrifices. Recent South Korean intelligence assessments suggest that North Korea has sent about 15,000 soldiers to Russia, and that nearly 5,000 of them have been killed or injured while fighting against Ukrainian forces, the AP reported. Washington and Seoul have also accused North Korea of supplying Russia with various types of military equipment, including artillery systems and shells and ballistic missiles. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Original article source: North Korea launches short-range ballistic missiles into sea, South Korea says
United News of India
08-05-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
North Korea fires multiple short-range missiles in Sea of Japan
Seoul/Pyongyang, May 8 (UNI) North Korea is said to have fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles today toward the Sea of Japan, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported, citing the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) of the Republic of Korea. Pyongyang launched what appeared to be multiple short-range ballistic missiles early Thursday, with projectiles flying up to 800 km (497 miles) before splashing down in the sea. The launches were detected around 8:10 a.m. local time (2310 GMT Wednesday) from the eastern coastal city of Wonsan, the JCS said, reports Anadolu news agency. 'Our military has heightened surveillance in anticipation of further launches and remains in a state of full readiness,' the JCS added, noting that it is closely coordinating with the United States and Japan on the situation. Earlier, Yonhap reported citing the South Korean JCS that North Korea had fired an unidentified ballistic missile toward the Sea of Japan, as per Sputnik. In mid-March, the JCS said that North Korea conducted a launch of several ballistic missiles, which reportedly took place just hours after South Korea and the United States had launched their annual Freedom Shield exercises. UNI ANV RN
Libyan Express
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Libyan Express
North Korea fires advanced missiles into Sea of Japan
North Korea unveiled what analysts believe to be the world's largest liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile. Photo via Korean Central TV North Korea launched several ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan on Thursday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed through Yonhap news agency . The projectiles were fired from Wonsan, a coastal city on North Korea's southeastern shore, and travelled approximately 190 miles eastward before landing in international waters. 'This clear provocation seriously threatens peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,' South Korea's military leadership declared in their official statement condemning the launches. Military intelligence suggests these projectiles are part of Pyongyang's new generation of sophisticated short-range ballistic missile systems, representing a significant technological leap from their Soviet-era arsenal. Defence analysts identify these as likely belonging to North Korea's KN-series missiles, which feature quasi-ballistic flight patterns specifically engineered to evade interception by contemporary missile defence systems. These newer weapons systems employ advanced manoeuvrability tactics, flying at unusually low altitudes before making abrupt trajectory changes. Such innovations considerably reduce the effectiveness of regional defensive countermeasures whilst simultaneously improving strike precision. Thursday's demonstration constitutes North Korea's fifth missile test this year, following a similar launch on 22 April. The timing appears deliberate, coming days before President Trump's 20 January inauguration and shortly after the conclusion of joint US-South Korean 'Freedom Shield' military exercises, which North Korea consistently characterises as invasion rehearsals. The ongoing missile development programme reflects North Korea's broader strategic shift toward asymmetric warfare capabilities to compensate for its ageing conventional forces. Experts note this approach allows Pyongyang to maintain military relevance whilst potentially strengthening its negotiating position in any future diplomatic engagements. Japanese and American defence officials continue monitoring the situation intently, with particular concern regarding the dual-capable nature of these missile systems, which could potentially deliver either conventional or nuclear warheads. This technological advancement represents a growing security challenge for the entire region as missile defence systems face increasingly sophisticated threats designed specifically to overcome their protective capabilities.
The Hindu
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
North Korea fires flurry of short-range ballistic missiles
North Korea fired what appeared to be multiple short-range ballistic missiles Thursday (May 8, 2025) South Korea's military said, around a week after leader Kim Jong Un tested a new weapons system for his latest warship. Seoul's military said it had "detected several projectiles presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The missiles were "fired from the Wonsan area of North Korea into the East Sea at around 08:10 today," they added, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan. The launch, the nuclear-armed North's first missile test since March, came about a week after Kim oversaw the test-firing of a new warship weapons system. Pyongyang unveiled the 5,000-ton destroyer-class vessel named Choe Hyon last month. North Korea claims the vessel was equipped with the "most powerful weapons", and that it would "enter into operation early next year". Some analysts have said the ship could be equipped with short-range tactical nuclear missiles -- although North Korea has not proven it has the ability to miniaturise its nukes. The South Korean military has said the destroyer could have been developed with Russian help -- possibly in exchange for Pyongyang deploying thousands of troops to help Moscow fight Kyiv. Russia and North Korea also recently announced that they had started building the first road bridge linking the two neighbours. North Korea launched a flurry of ballistic missiles last year in violation of UN sanctions. Experts have long warned that the nuclear-armed North may be testing weapons for export to Russia for use against Ukraine. Japan's defence ministry said there was no impact on Japan from the North Korean missile, according to public broadcaster NHK. Testing, testing South Korea's military said in early March that the North fired "multiple unidentified ballistic missiles", the same day Seoul and Washington began a major annual joint military drill known as Freedom Shield. Pyongyang also carried out a test-launch of strategic cruise missiles in the Yellow Sea in late February, which it said showed off "counterattack capabilities". Washington -- Seoul's key security ally -- has in recent years ramped up joint military exercises and increased the presence of strategic US assets, such as an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine, in the region to deter the North. Pyongyang has repeatedly declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear weapons state and routinely denounces joint US-South Korea drills as rehearsals for invasion. The two Koreas are technically still at war as the 1950-1953 conflict ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty. With relations souring, the North last year blew up roads and railways connecting it to the South and fortified areas of the border with more mines. In early April, South Korea's military said its troops fired warning shots when around 10 North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the heavily fortified border that divides the peninsula.
