South Korea reported this Thursday that North Korea has fired about ten short-range ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan. The launch, unusual due to the number of projectiles, adds more fuel to the military escalation in the region, just hours after the President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced his intention to meet again this year with the leader of the North Korean regime, Kim Jong-un, as he did during his first term. According to Seoul’s estimates, based on information from its Armed Forces, Pyongyang has launched more than twenty projectiles in the same direction so far this year.
After detecting the projectiles, South Korea’s National Security Council convened a meeting about the incident, according to Reuters. The Blue House, the South Korean presidential residence, has described the events as “a provocation by North Korea” and has called for the immediate suspension of its activity. “The ballistic missile launch is a serious act that violates UN Security Council resolutions,” the presidential office stated. The missiles flew about 300 kilometers towards the sea, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.
A few minutes earlier, Japanese authorities detected the flight of a missile towards the Sea of Japan. “Something that could be a ballistic missile has been launched from North Korea. We will inform you as soon as there are more updates,” the Japanese Ministry of Defense initially detailed on its social media account X. In a series of subsequent messages, the Ministry confirmed that the projectile had already fallen and that its entry into the Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) had not been detected.
An object that may be a ballistic missile has been launched from North Korea. JMOD/JSDF will provide updates as soon as further information becomes available.
— Japan Ministry of Defense/Self-Defense Forces (@ModJapan_en) August 20, 2026
The projectile launches from North Korea occur amid escalating tensions between Pyongyang and Tokyo. Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, stated two weeks ago that North Korea will not remain “a passive observer” to Japan’s accelerated transformation into a military power. “That Japan, a war criminal state, possesses preemptive strike capability constitutes a serious threat that destroys world peace and security,” she said in a statement released by the North Korean state agency KCNA.
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Pyongyang’s maneuver also takes place amid the annual joint military exercises Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) between the United States and South Korea, which Trump ordered to reduce on Monday and which will end on Friday, six days earlier than planned, citing precisely his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. It also occurs during the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Seoul, to meet with his South Korean counterpart, Chung Eui-yong, and with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
On Wednesday, the U.S. president implied that he plans to meet with the North Korean leader before the end of the year, two days after stating that the North Korean leader has already responded to his communications, in exchanges he described as “very positive.”
Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, said she was unaware of the supposed recent contact between her brother and the U.S. president, and downplayed Washington’s decision to cut back the maneuvers with Seoul. On Wednesday, she stated that the “hostile policy” of the United States towards North Korea had not changed, as the maneuvers were still underway. North Korea launched a ballistic missile just over a week ago towards waters east of the Korean peninsula, preceded by another launched towards the Sea of Japan six days earlier, at a time when Japan’s military strengthening has caused a clash of accusations between Pyongyang and Tokyo.
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