North Korea, which was flying trash, resumes 'missile provocations' after two months

Five Days of Floating Sewage Balloons Followed by Provocation
Military: "Multiple Short-Range Missiles Landed in East Sea"

North Korea, which had been flying 'trash balloons' for five consecutive days this month as if rampaging, has resumed military provocations. It has been 73 days since North Korea last launched a ballistic missile on July 1.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military detected several short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) launched from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea at around 7:10 a.m. on the 12th. The missiles flew approximately 360 km before landing in the East Sea. The military immediately began tracking and monitoring the missiles after the launch and shared information with the U.S. and Japan.

Japan's Ministry of Defense estimated that the missiles fell outside its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Earlier, North Korea claimed to have fired a tactical ballistic missile equipped with a 'new heavy warhead' in July and announced additional tests, but no actual launches were carried out. Since then, from the 4th to the 8th of this month, North Korea flew 'trash balloons' filled with garbage southward for five consecutive days. Approximately 1,300 balloons were identified during this period, and fires presumed to be caused by heat timers occurred in some areas.

A Joint Chiefs of Staff official stated, "North Korea's missile launch is a clear act of provocation that seriously threatens peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and we strongly condemn it," adding, "Under the firm ROK-U.S. combined defense posture, we will closely monitor North Korea's various activities and maintain the capability and readiness to overwhelmingly respond to any provocations."