The projectile was fired from the Wonsan area into the Sea of Japan and flew more than 700 kilometers. South Korea reinforced vigilance against possible new launches and called an emergency meeting, amid a new increase in tensions between Seoul and Pyongyang.
First modification: 03/10/2026 - 03:18
This Saturday, October 3, North Korea launched a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan, known as the East Sea in both Koreas, in a new weapons test that led the Seoul Government to reinforce surveillance and call an emergency meeting of its National Security Council.
The projectile was fired around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 3 (21:30 GMT on Friday) from the Wonsan area, on the eastern coast of North Korea, according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
The missile traveled more than 700 kilometers, according to a later update from the South Korean Armed Forces.
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Japan also detected the launch. The Japanese Coast Guard, citing the Defense Ministry, initially reported that the object could be a ballistic missile and later noted that it had apparently fallen. The authorities asked the vessels sailing through the area to take extreme precautions.
The South Korean army assured that it has reinforced surveillance due to the possibility of new launches and that it shares information about the episode with the United States and Japan.
South Korea's presidential office also reported that the National Security Council held an emergency meeting to analyze the situation.
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Second release in two weeks
The launch comes two weeks after Pyongyang fired two short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area into the Sea of Japan on September 20, a few hours apart.
Tensions between the two Koreas also increased this week due to the explosion of a mine in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the heavily militarized strip that divides the peninsula.
South Korea claims that North Korean mines caused the explosion that injured South Korean soldiers during a reconnaissance mission and has demanded an apology from Pyongyang. The United Nations Command, led by the United States, also attributed the explosion to mines placed by North Korea on the South Korean side of the border.
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Pyongyang, for its part, denies being behind the incident. Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and one of the most influential figures in the regime, on Friday described Seoul's demand as “despicable” and again rejected any responsibility.
A day before these statements, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung had called on North Korea to resume dialogue.
The new launch comes after Pyongyang criticized the “Freedom Edge” military maneuvers, carried out in international waters off South Korea, which it described as a “threat” to North Korea and other countries in the region.
With EFE, AFP and Reuters
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