In brief
On 29 October 2026, North Korea fired a missile that may be ballistic, prompting Japan to report the launch and its fall, while South Korea’s military and Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed a dozen short‑range ballistic missiles were launched from the Wonsan area. An emergency meeting was held by South Korea’s President. No casualties or damage were reported.
North Korea fired a missile that may be ballistic, and the launch was reported on 29 October 2026 by both Japan and South Korea, sparking heightened surveillance and an emergency meeting in Seoul.
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Japanese officials said the country had detected a missile launch that might be ballistic and that the missile had already fallen. Kyodo News reported that the statement was made by the Japanese government on the day of the launch.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported that an unidentified projectile was fired from North Korea’s eastern coast toward the East Sea. Yonhap’s coverage of the JCS statement noted that the launch had been detected but no details were released.
South Korea’s defence ministry confirmed that roughly a dozen short‑range ballistic missiles were fired from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea. Yonhap reported that the missiles were spotted by airborne early‑warning radar and were believed to have travelled approximately 250 km. The ministry added that no casualties or damage had occurred and that the launch was a test of North Korea’s missile capabilities rather than an attack.
In response to the launch, the South Korean Presidential Office convened an emergency meeting. A spokesperson said that President Yoon Suk‑yeol had emphasized a swift response and that the administration was reviewing readiness plans. The JCS said it had stepped up surveillance and was maintaining a robust defence posture through close information‑sharing with the United States and Japan.
Earlier on 12 October, North Korea had test‑fired tactical ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea, an action believed to be a show of force against South Korea’s recent hypersonic missile test. The 29 October launch, following that earlier series, continues to underline the tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
