Seoul, September 12, 2026: North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles towards the sea on Saturday, September 12, a day after the US, South Korea and Japan concluded a five-day trilateral military exercise that Pyongyang considers a provocation.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said several missiles were launched from the Wonsan area on North Korea’s eastern coast. Each missile travelled about 250 kilometres towards the country’s eastern waters. The latest launches, the first in about three weeks, underline the continuing military tensions on the Korean Peninsula despite recent US efforts to scale back exercises with South Korea.
Seoul Steps Up Surveillance
South Korea’s military said it had strengthened its surveillance posture following the launches and was closely exchanging information with the US and Japan.
South Korea’s presidential National Security Council urged Pyongyang to stop ballistic missile launches that violate UN Security Council resolutions, AP reports.
The US Pacific Command said the launches did not pose an immediate threat to US territory or its allies. It added that Washington remained committed to defending the US homeland and its regional allies.
Drills End, Tensions Remain
The missile launches came a day after the US, South Korea and Japan completed their five-day Freedom Edge exercise as scheduled on Friday, September 11.
According to the US Pacific Command, the three militaries trained together across air, sea and cyber domains to improve interoperability. The exercise included maritime manoeuvres, air refuelling, cyber coordination and medical drills.
South Korea’s military had earlier described the exercise as defensive and aimed at strengthening the countries’ ability to respond jointly to North Korea’s nuclear threats.
Pyongyang, however, has repeatedly viewed such military exercises as provocations rather than defensive preparations. The timing of Saturday’s missile launches reinforces the pattern of North Korea answering regional military exercises with weapons demonstrations.
Pyongyang Had Warned Of Response
Hours after the Freedom Edge exercise began on Monday, September 7, North Korean Defence Minister Kim Song Gi criticised the drill and threatened “strong and reflective countermeasures from the standpoint of power”.
A day earlier, on Sunday, September 6, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for a more reliable nuclear deterrent during a ceremony marking the commissioning of the country’s second naval destroyer.
North Korea says its two destroyers can carry nuclear-capable missiles. The second destroyer was damaged during a botched launch last year but was later repaired and relaunched.
Trump’s Gesture Fails To Ease Strain
The latest weapons display also follows US President Donald Trump’s decision to scale back a major bilateral military exercise with South Korea.
Over the past month, Trump ordered the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise. He cited what he described as his good relationship with Kim Jong Un, who considers the exercise a rehearsal for an invasion.
The move, however, did not produce an immediate easing of tensions. Kim’s sister and senior North Korean official Kim Yo Jong rejected Trump’s gesture, saying merely shortening the exercise would not change its “provocative, aggressive nature”.
North Korea’s military later fired about 10 short-range ballistic missiles towards the sea, apparently acting on an earlier threat to respond to the US-South Korean exercise.
Nuclear Ambitions Shape Diplomacy
Kim Jong Un has focused on expanding North Korea’s nuclear arsenal since his high-stakes diplomacy with Trump collapsed in 2019.
Experts say Kim now appears emboldened by advances in his nuclear programme and North Korea’s deepening relations with Russia and China. They believe he wants greater US concessions if diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang resumes.
Kim said earlier this year that he could return to negotiations if the US abandoned what he calls its “hostile policy” towards North Korea and recognised the country’s status as a nuclear state.
Saturday’s launches show why reducing military exercises alone may not be enough to break the cycle of drills, threats and weapons demonstrations. With Pyongyang continuing to strengthen its nuclear capabilities while demanding a fundamental change in Washington’s approach, the room for a quick diplomatic breakthrough remains narrow.
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