North Korea launched a ballistic missile off its east coast on Sunday, according to South Korea’s military. The missile, described as “unidentified,” was fired toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. Japan’s defence ministry confirmed detecting a possible ballistic missile, which landed in an unspecified location around 8:08 am local time (2308 GMT Saturday).
This marks North Korea’s first ballistic missile test since November, when the country responded to the approval of South Korea’s plan to build a nuclear-powered submarine by the United States. In recent years, Pyongyang has significantly increased its missile testing, with analysts suggesting the effort aims to enhance precision strike capabilities, challenge the United States and South Korea, and potentially develop weapons for export, including to Russia.
North Korea is preparing to hold a landmark congress of its ruling party, its first in five years, where economic policy, defence, and military planning are expected to be major topics. Ahead of the congress, leader Kim Jong Un ordered the expansion and modernization of the country’s missile production and the construction of additional factories to meet growing demand. On Sunday, state media reported that Kim visited a facility producing tactical guided weapons and instructed officials to increase production capacity by 250 percent, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
This missile launch underscores Pyongyang’s continued focus on strengthening its military capabilities amid rising regional tensions.
