JCS: "North Korea Fires Short-Range Ballistic Missiles Toward West Sea" (Comprehensive)

The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) on the 9th.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the Joint Chiefs, the military detected one short-range ballistic missile launched from the Nampo area in North Korea toward the West Sea around 6:20 p.m. that day.

The military stated, "We are strengthening surveillance and vigilance, maintaining close cooperation between South Korea and the U.S., and keeping a full readiness posture."

This missile launch marks the first ballistic missile fired by North Korea in 17 days since two super-large multiple rocket launchers were fired on the 20th of last month, and it is the fourth confirmed missile provocation this year.

North Korea appears to have conducted the provocation in response to the upcoming South Korea-U.S. joint exercise ‘Freedom Shield’ (FS), scheduled from the 13th to the 23rd.

During the FS period, the South Korea-U.S. joint field training exercise (FTX) will be named ‘Warrior Shield FTX’ and will be significantly expanded compared to previous years, conducting theater-level live field training.