North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles from its interior toward the sea off its east coast on Monday, October 12, 2026.
Seoul And Tokyo Track Ballistic Missile Flights
One of the missiles launched from the capital region traveled more than 900 kilometers before falling into the sea, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the military detected several ballistic missiles launched from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, at approximately 09:20 local time around 09:20 (0220 CET).
Japan’s Defense Ministry detailed two separate launches that occurred minutes apart. The first missile left the launch area at around 9:19 a.m., climbing to an altitude of about 20 kilometers and covering a distance of roughly 220 kilometers. The second missile lifted off at approximately 9:36 a.m., reaching an altitude of 70 kilometers and flying beyond 910 kilometers. Japanese officials assessed that both missiles splashed down into waters outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, with no reported damage to aircraft or marine vessels.
Japan’s Deputy Defence Minister Takashi Koyari noted that the second weapon followed an irregular flight path, a term Japanese officials have previously used when describing hypersonic capabilities. Tokyo, Washington, and Seoul launched a joint technical analysis to determine the exact specifications and verify whether the weapon utilized advanced maneuvering features. Takashi Koyari noted that North Korea had conducted at least 11 test-launches involving some 18 ballistic missiles and other projectiles since the beginning of the year. This tally more than doubles the number of launches recorded during the previous year and triples the count of projectiles. The ministry stated that these actions threaten regional and international security.
Weapons Tests Contrast With Border Tensions
The presidential Blue House stated that the weapon was designed to fly at least five times the speed of sound and evade missile defence systems, bolstering conventional deterrence within the regional theater of operations. The Monday morning launches fit into an escalating series of weapons demonstrations by both Koreas. Just days prior, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung oversaw the country’s first flight test of a domestically produced hypersonic glide vehicle. Without directly addressing the growing threat from North Korea, Lee’s office stated that the fully developed hypersonic weapon would enhance South Korea’s ability to strike key targets by surprise in the Korean Peninsula theater of operations.
Pyongyang had conducted its own test on October 3, firing an intermediate-range ballistic missile that Kim Yo-jong described as utilizing artificial intelligence technology capable of altering flight orbits at low altitudes. Jang Do-young, spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, indicated that the latest launches likely served as a technological advancement program and a possible response to Seoul’s recent hypersonic test. The joint chiefs did not specify the total number of missiles detected or provide complete flight details for every weapon.
President Lee Favors Engagement as Japan Protests
President Lee Jae Myung favors engagement with North Korea and has tempered his rhetoric despite public anger over the landmine explosions, while also calling for reduced reliance on the United States alongside strengthened conventional defense capabilities. In Tokyo, Koyari announced that Japan lodged a stern protest and strong condemnation with North Korea through diplomatic channels at its embassy in Beijing.