SEOUL — North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast on Sunday, South Korea’s military and Japanese authorities said.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the North launched the missiles from the Sinpo area at around 6:10 a.m. local time. The projectiles flew eastward and landed in the waters of the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, according to Seoul and Tokyo. Japan’s Defense Ministry confirmed the launch and said the missiles appeared to have fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, with no damage reported.
The launch marked North Korea’s seventh ballistic missile test of 2026 and its fourth in April, South Korean officials said. It came 11 days after the North’s previous missile activity on April 8.
North Korea has conducted a series of weapons tests this year as it continues to develop its military capabilities. Details on the exact type of missiles fired on Sunday remained unclear, with South Korean and Japanese assessments describing them as short-range ballistic missiles.
No immediate statement was issued by North Korean state media regarding the launch. Pyongyang has not commented publicly on the Sunday activity as of early reports.
The incident follows heightened regional tensions, including ongoing military drills involving the United States and South Korea that North Korea has repeatedly criticized. South Korea and Japan have expressed concern over the North’s frequent missile tests, which they say destabilize the Korean Peninsula and northeast Asia.
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said it was aware of the launches and was consulting closely with allies and partners.
“As always, we call on North Korea to refrain from provocative actions,” a South Korean military official told reporters, according to Yonhap news agency.
As of Sunday afternoon, no further missile activity had been detected, and there were no reports of casualties or material damage from the test. Shipping and aviation authorities in the region were notified but reported no disruptions.
The United Nations Security Council has previously condemned North Korea’s ballistic missile launches as violations of international resolutions. South Korea’s government said it would maintain close coordination with the United States and Japan in response to the latest provocation.
