North Korea has launched an unidentified ballistic missile, South Korea’s military confirmed, marking another escalation barely a week after former U.S. President Donald Trump approved Seoul’s plan to develop a nuclear-powered submarine.
Analysts had warned that such a move by South Korea would likely provoke a strong response from Pyongyang.
According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the missile was fired toward the East Sea (Sea of Japan).
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi later announced that the projectile landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, causing no damage or injuries.
Despite global concern, the Kremlin defended Pyongyang’s latest launch, describing it as a “legitimate right.” “We respect the rightful measures our friends in the DPRK take to ensure their security,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
Tokyo, however, sharply condemned the launch. Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi called North Korea’s repeated missile tests “absolutely unforgivable” and said the provocations underline the urgency of strengthening Japan’s defence capabilities. “We will consider all necessary steps to protect our nation and people, without ruling out any options,” he said.
South Korean officials reported that the missile, launched at 12:35 p.m. (0335 GMT) from an area north of Pyongyang, travelled approximately 700 kilometres (435 miles).
North Korea has dramatically expanded its missile tests in recent years—moves analysts interpret as efforts to refine precision-strike abilities, challenge the U.S. and South Korea, and test advanced weapons possibly intended for export to Russia.
Ahn Chan-il, a North Korean defector and researcher, noted that the possibility of South Korea deploying a nuclear-powered submarine is likely heightening Pyongyang’s anxiety. “Such a submarine could enter North Korean waters undetected and monitor or intercept submarine-launched ballistic missiles,” he said.
Trump recently announced that South Korea would construct the submarine in the United States, though Seoul has said it may build it domestically. A nuclear-powered vessel would mark a major technological leap for South Korea. Only a handful of nations—including the U.S., Australia, China, Russia, India, France, and the U.K.—operate such submarines.
Since the collapse of Kim Jong Un’s 2019 summit with Trump over the terms of denuclearisation and sanctions relief, North Korea has repeatedly declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear state.
Kim has since deepened ties with Moscow, sending thousands of troops to support Russia’s campaign in Ukraine in exchange for heightened political backing.
Despite Trump’s recent offer to meet Kim, Pyongyang did not respond. Instead, Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui travelled to Moscow, where she and President Vladimir Putin agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations.
In an earlier show of solidarity, Kim appeared alongside China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Putin at a grand military parade in Beijing.
Though Trump once claimed he and Kim had “fallen in love” during their unprecedented series of summits, the two leaders ultimately failed to reach a lasting agreement on North Korea’s nuclear arsenal.
This week, South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun said the country’s intelligence agency believes Kim remains open to dialogue with Washington and may seek contact “when conditions are favourable.” He added that although the proposed meeting with Trump did not materialise, “multiple signs suggest Pyongyang had been preparing behind the scenes for possible talks.”
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