North Korea fired a series of short-range ballistic missiles into its eastern sea on Thursday morning in what South Korea says may be a test of weapons it plans to export.
The missiles were launched near the eastern port city of Wonsan between approximately 8.10am and 9.20am local time, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, who said some of them travelled as far as 800 kilometres.
A South Korean military spokesperson said the north’s latest missile test, which came two months after its last known one, could be related to its drive to send more weapons abroad.
Although the spokesperson did not name the intended recipient, North Korea has been sending military equipment and troops to Russia to assist in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The test on Thursday likely involved weapons launched from vehicles, potentially similar to Russia’s Iskander missile, the spokesperson added.
The US and South Korea detected North Korea’s launch preparations and tracked the missiles during their flight.
Seoul called the launch a “clear act of provocation”, while Japan “sternly protested and strongly condemned” the move.
The launch came a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un urged munition workers to increase the production of artillery shells.
Having previously denied its involvement in the war between Russia and Ukraine, Pyongyang confirmed last month that it had sent troops to Russia’s Kursk region, parts of which were seized by Ukrainian troops in a surprise offensive in August.
Recent South Korean intelligence reports suggest that North Korea has sent around 15,000 soldiers to join Russia’s offensive. Around 5,000 are believed to have been injured or killed while fighting against the Ukrainian army.
