South Korea’s military stated, North Korea fired over 10 ballistic missiles into the sea, as the US and South Korean forces conducted military drills and US.
These powerful missiles were fired from North Korean territory toward waters off the east coast and identified shortly after lift off at around 1:20 p.m. (0430 GMT) towards the sea off the country’s east coast, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.
As per Seoul officials, these tests are part of Pyongyang's current efforts to progress its missile capabilities.
Japan’s coast guard said it had detected what could be a ballistic missile that fell into the sea. It appeared to have fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, public broadcaster NHK said, citing the military.
South Korea and Washington deployed the annual defensive drills in South Korea this week, aimed at experimenting readiness against military aggressions from North Korea.
Notably, US and South Korean troops conducted river-crossing drills on a larger scale on March 14, 2026, with hardware including tanks and armored combat vehicles, overseen by the commander of their combined forces.
North Korea often shows strong response at such exercises, saying they are “dress rehearsals” for armed aggression against it by the allies.
On Thursday, South Korea’s Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington to discuss ways to start conversation with the North.
Trump is also reportedly eyeing to have a dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as per reports.
