North, South Korea Test Ballistic Missiles Hours Apart Amid Rising Tensions
NORTH and South Korea launched ballistic missiles just hours apart, underlining a growing arms race on the Korean Peninsula while nuclear negotiations remain stalled.
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles from central inland regions, sending them east across the Sea of Japan (East Sea). The missiles flew about 800 km (500 miles) at a maximum altitude near 60 km, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). This is Pyongyang’s first ballistic missile test in six months and is a clear violation of United Nations resolutions.
Later the same day, South Korea conducted its first submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) test. The launch was pre-scheduled and not a direct response to North Korea’s test. With this, South Korea becomes the seventh country in the world to join the SLBM club.
President Moon Jae-in, who attended the test, said the SLBM gives South Korea a “sufficient deterrent” against North’s provocations. He urged the country to expand its defense capabilities to “overwhelm North Korea’s asymmetric power.”
Reacting strongly, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, called Moon’s remarks “illogical and regrettable.” She warned they may damage diplomatic ties, according to state news agency KCNA.
In the North’s test, the JCS added, the missiles landed within Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). While UN resolutions prohibit North Korea from conducting ballistic missile tests, these weapons can carry conventional or nuclear warheads — making them especially dangerous.
Analysts say the launches reveal North Korea’s persistence in advancing its weapons programs amid severe economic difficulties and isolation. Pyongyang often conducts such launches to refine missile technology and gain leverage in talks with Washington, which demands the country abandon its nuclear and missile programs in return for sanctions relief.
The launches drew strong international reactions. Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga called North Korea’s test “outrageous.” The United States labeled the launches threats to both neighbors and the global community.
Earlier in the day, China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, met with his South Korean counterpart in Seoul. Wang urged all parties to prioritize peace and stability on the peninsula during the talks.
Experts say this dual-launch episode highlights that despite tough economic conditions and diplomatic pressure, both Koreas are intensifying their military posturing.
