North Korea conducted a ballistic missile launch early Tuesday morning, sending the projectile over the sea off its east coast. According to reports from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the missile was detected at approximately 6:00 am (2100 GMT) as it was launched from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan.
The weapon traveled a distance of more than 700 kilometers before landing in the waters. Both Japanese and South Korean officials confirmed the launch, with the South Korean military and US authorities currently working to analyze the specific technical details of the missile.
This military activity occurs just days before the scheduled start of the "Ulchi Freedom Shield" joint drills between the United States and South Korea, which are set to begin on Monday. The training exercises are expected to involve 18,000 South Korean troops alongside 28,500 US personnel stationed in the country.
Colonel Ryan Donald, a spokesman for the US and South Korean Combined Forces Command, noted that the training is designed to prepare soldiers for potential conflict against North Korean forces. He emphasized that the drills account for threats posed by North Korean troops who may have gained recent combat experience from deployment in Europe, stating that these soldiers have brought back lessons learned from those engagements.
