South Korea announces North Korea's launch of several ballistic missiles
North Korea conducted a missile launch (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
South Korean military detected the launch of several short-range ballistic missiles by North Korea towards the East Sea, reports Yonhap.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) stated that the missile launches could have taken place from the northern coastal city of Wonsan (North Korea).
'Our military has bolstered surveillance against an additional launch and maintains a full readiness posture while closely sharing information on the North's ballistic missiles with the United States and Japan,' the department told the media.
Representatives of the Japanese government stated that there is no threat to the country following North Korea's missile launch, according to the Japanese public broadcaster NHK.
North Korea's missile provocations
This missile launch on Thursday took place approximately two months after North Korea launched several ballistic missiles on March 10, when South Korea and the US began their joint spring exercises.
Thus, this became the second ballistic missile launch by North Korea since the return of US President Donald Trump to the White House.
South Korean media highlight that Pyongyang has refrained from major provocations in the region this year, particularly amid the deepening military cooperation with Russia, which continues its war against Ukraine.
Cooperation between North Korea and Russia
It was reported in the fall of 2024 that North Korea sent its troops to support Russia. A South Korean military contingent was later deployed in the Kursk region to assist the Russian army in combat operations against Ukraine's defense forces.
According to the latest data from South Korean intelligence, North Korea has already lost 4,700 of its soldiers in the war against Ukraine.
Interestingly, Russia recently publicly acknowledged that North Korean soldiers are fighting against Ukraine in the Kursk region. Official Pyongyang also confirmed the participation of its military in the war.
Additionally, North Korea is supplying Russia with ammunition, ballistic missiles, equipment, including artillery, which the Russian army is using in its war against Ukraine.
Recently, The Wall Street Journal reported that North Korea also sent around 15,000 labor migrants to Russia, as the aggressor country is facing a labor shortage due to declining birth rates and the conscription of people to fight in the war against Ukraine.
