North Korea, on Tuesday, fired several short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) into the East Sea, South Korean reports confirmed.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) stated that the country’s military detected multiple projectiles, believed to be SRBMs, launched from the Kanggye area in North Korea’s Chagang Province around 9:30 AM local time.
Rep. Han Gi Ho, a member of the National Defense Committee and representative of the ruling People Power Party, reported at a National Assembly meeting that North Korea had launched two projectiles.
Chagang Province, home to a cluster of North Korean military factories, has not been previously associated with such missile launches. This is the first time North Korea has launched projectiles from the Kanggye area. According to military sources, the projectiles were fired from a mobile launcher (TEL) and traveled approximately 250 kilometers toward the uninhabited Al Island off the coast of North Hamgyong Province.
The South Korean military is considering the possibility that the missiles are not part of North Korea’s KN-series ballistic missile, often referred to as North Korea’s version of Russia’s Iskander. There is also speculation that these could be tactical ballistic missiles (TBMs) or short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) with a shorter range than the KN-series.
The JCS reported, “U.S. and South Korean intelligence agencies detected signs of North Korea’s missile launch preparations in advance and had been monitoring them. Once launched, the projectiles were immediately detected and tracked.” The JCS added, “We have been sharing relevant information closely with U.S. and Japanese counterparts, and we are currently analyzing the detailed specifications of the launch.”
This missile test marks North Korea’s second military provocation of the year, following the January 6 launch of a solid-fuel hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM). The most recent missile launch occurred just eight days after the previous one.
A military official noted, “If the IRBM was aimed at the United States, these SRBM-like projectiles launched today could be seen as a provocation directed at South Korea.” There are also speculations that the launch might be part of a test for future missile exports, potentially to countries like Russia.
Some analysts view this series of missile launches as part of North Korea’s strategy to increase military provocations to influence the international political environment ahead of the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on January 20.
In response to the escalating tensions, the South Korean military has ramped up its surveillance and alert posture, keeping a close watch on any further developments.
The JCS condemned North Korea’s missile launch, calling it a clear provocation that seriously threatens the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula. They stated, “Our military maintains a strong ROK-U.S. combined defense posture to ensure that North Korea does not miscalculate in the current security situation, and we are fully prepared to respond overwhelmingly to any provocations.”