North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles after South Korean hypersonic test

North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang area toward the sea east of the Korean Peninsula on Monday, according to South Korea’s military. Associated Press reported that at least one weapon travelled more than 900 kilometres. Japan detected two missiles and said they landed outside its exclusive economic zone, with no immediate reports of damage.

The launch was North Korea’s fourth ballistic-missile test in about a month. Reuters reported that it came days after South Korea publicly tested a domestically developed hypersonic missile. Pyongyang has not published a detailed account of Monday’s weapons, and outside governments had not independently identified every type involved at publication.

Japan said one missile followed an irregular trajectory, a characteristic sometimes associated with manoeuvrable or hypersonic systems. That observation does not by itself confirm the weapon’s model or full capability. South Korea and Japan condemned the launches as violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions barring North Korean ballistic-missile activity.

The tests add pressure to an already tense security cycle in which both Koreas are demonstrating faster and more manoeuvrable weapons. Diplomatic talks remain stalled, leaving military detection, communication and restraint as the main safeguards against miscalculation.