Japan’s Defense Ministry said North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile toward the sea on Wednesday, marking the second such weapons launch in less than a week. The ministry reported the projectile landed in waters, and South Korea’s military, cited by Yonhap news agency, said the launch occurred off North Korea’s east coast.
The reported launch came two days after Seoul and Washington announced they will begin their annual, large-scale joint exercises next week to strengthen readiness against North Korean threats. The drills, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, are designed to improve coordination between South Korean and U.S. forces; Pyongyang routinely denounces them as rehearsals for invasion and has historically responded with weapons tests and sharp rhetoric.
Last week, South Korea, the United States and Japan detected what they said was a short-range ballistic missile launch from North Korea — the North’s first ballistic weapons test since late June. North Korea did not confirm the earlier launch; the state typically releases official details about weapons tests about a day later, but has not issued confirmation in these cases.
A ballistic missile follows a high, parabolic flight path and is distinguished from cruise missiles by its trajectory and propulsion profile. Regional governments and allied forces continue to monitor North Korean activity closely as the scheduled drills approach.
Original Source: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/japan-says-north-korea-has-launched-suspected-ballistic-missile-11897286#publisher=newsstand
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Publish Date: 2026-08-12 03:21:00
