North Korea resumed its provocative ballistic missile launches on Wednesday.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff issued a text alert at approximately 8:20 a.m., stating that North Korea had fired an unidentified ballistic missile eastward.
South Korean military officials are currently analyzing the specifications of the ballistic missile, including its type and range.
This marks North Korea’s first ballistic missile test in over five months, with the last launch occurring on May 8. During that incident, North Korea fired a 600mm (about 23.7 inches) multiple rocket launcher system and a Hwasong-11 tactical ballistic missile into the East Sea.
This latest launch is the first since the Lee Jae Myung administration took office in June. It comes just days before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, which U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to attend. Analysts interpret this as a calculated show of force by Pyongyang, likely aimed at sending a message to regional powers.