North Korea fires ballistic missile towards Japan ahead of US-South Korea drills

North Korea launched a ballistic missile from the Wonsan area towards the East Sea early Wednesday, according to South Korea’s military, in a show of force just days before the US and South Korea are due to begin major joint military exercises. Seoul and Washington are examining the missile’s specifications after it travelled more than 700 kilometres (435 miles) over the water.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said its military detected the launch at around 6:00 am (2100 GMT on Tuesday).

“Our military detected at around 6:00 am (2100 GMT on Tuesday) a ballistic missile launched by North Korea from the Wonsan area towards the East Sea,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a message to reporters.

The missile flew more than 700 kilometres (435 miles) over the body of water, also known as the Sea of Japan, according to Seoul’s military.

Japan’s defence ministry also identified the object as a suspected ballistic missile and said it was thought to have “already fallen”. It did not provide further details.

Launch comes ahead of joint military drills

The launch came days before the planned start of the 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises on Monday.

The annual US-South Korea drills form part of the allies’ preparations for a potential conflict with nuclear-armed North Korea. Pyongyang has repeatedly condemned the exercises as rehearsals for an invasion and has launched missiles around the time of previous drills.

“North Korea has never simply let a South Korea-US joint military exercise pass without a response,” Lim Eul-chul, a North Korea expert at Kyungnam University, told AFP.

“This is a message that Pyongyang is closely watching the upcoming drills and could stage a provocation if it deems one necessary.”

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi described the launch as a “threat to peace and security in our region” and said Tokyo had “lodged a strong protest” with North Korea through diplomatic channels in Beijing.

Pyongyang steps up criticism of Japan

The missile launch comes as North Korea intensifies its criticism of Japan, a former regional colonial power, over what Pyongyang describes as Tokyo’s remilitarisation.

Japan has maintained a pacifist stance for decades but has increased defence spending, expanded military partnerships and deployed missile launchers to its outer islands.

Koizumi said last week that Japan needed to strengthen its military with a “sense of urgency and crisis”.

Pyongyang subsequently condemned Japan’s “transformation into a war state”. Seoul’s military later reported that North Korea had fired a short-range ballistic missile from its eastern coast.

South Korea calls emergency security meeting

South Korea’s national security office held an emergency meeting on Wednesday following the latest launch.

Participants described North Korea’s recent missile launches as “provocative acts” and called on Pyongyang to “immediately halt them”.

North Korea has also taken a more active role in international conflicts, particularly through its support for Russia in its war in Ukraine.

Ukraine accused Russia on Tuesday of using North Korean missiles in an attack that killed 10 people and wounded dozens.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also warned, without providing evidence, that Moscow has been receiving increasing numbers of ballistic projectiles and troops from Pyongyang.

North Korean troops gain battlefield experience

Experts say North Korea has received financial and military benefits from Moscow in return for its support. North Korean troops have also gained experience from their involvement on modern battlefields.

The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises beginning Monday will involve 18,000 South Korean troops and personnel from the US contingent of 28,500 stationed in the country.

The drills will prepare troops for a potential confrontation with North Korean forces that have gained battlefield experience through their deployment in Europe, a spokesman said.

“North Korean soldiers have “taken those lessons they learned there and brought them back to North Korea,” said Colonel Ryan Donald, spokesman for the US and South Korean Combined Forces Command, on Monday.

“Our training accounts for that threat,” he told reporters.