North Korea launched ballistic missiles toward the sea on Saturday, one day after the United States, South Korea, and Japan completed a trilateral military exercise.
The missiles were fired from the Wonsan area along North Korea’s eastern coast, according to South Korea’s military officials monitoring the situation.
South Korea said it was closely tracking its neighbor’s movements and coordinating its response with both the United States and Japan following the launches.
The missiles were launched at approximately 5:20 a.m. and traveled roughly 250 kilometers, or about 155 miles, according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff.
South Korean and U.S. authorities immediately began conducting a detailed analysis of the missiles’ specifications following the early morning launches.
South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities had tracked and shared information on the launches from the outset, with relevant data also passed along to Japan.
U.S. Pacific Command issued a statement confirming the launches posed no immediate danger to American personnel, territory, or allied nations in the region.
“We are aware of the recent missile launch and are consulting closely with our allies and partners,” U.S. Pacific Command said, adding that “this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies.”
The launches came directly after the three countries wrapped up a joint military exercise known as Freedom Edge on Friday, just hours before the missiles were fired.
South Korea’s presidential National Security Office convened an emergency security meeting involving the defense ministry, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other relevant government agencies in response.
South Korean officials formally urged North Korea to immediately cease ballistic missile launches, calling them a serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
“South Korea’s military is closely monitoring North Korean activity and maintaining the capability and readiness to respond overwhelmingly to any provocation under its combined defence posture with the United States,” the JCS said in a statement.
The missile launches mark another escalatory move by Pyongyang amid ongoing tensions over its nuclear weapons program and the allied nations’ military posture in the region.
