South Korea Detects 10 Short-Range Missiles Launched from North Korea

South Korea’s military detected at least 10 short-range ballistic missiles launched from North Korean territory on Thursday (20/8) local time.

The statement from South Korea’s military, as reported by AFP on Thursday (20/8/2026), came after the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff previously reported that North Korea had been detected firing at least one “unidentified projectile”.

The North Korean launch activity was also detected by Japan, with the office of the Japanese Prime Minister releasing a statement via social media platform X stating that Pyongyang had launched “what is believed to be a ballistic missile”.

In a follow-up statement, an official from the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff office told AFP that North Korea was detected launching “around 10 short-range ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang area”.

The North Korean missiles, according to Seoul’s military, were detected travelling approximately 300 kilometres towards the sea east of the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea’s presidential office, as reported by Reuters, condemned the North Korean missile launches and ordered the country’s military to maintain full readiness.

In its statement, the South Korean presidential office said an emergency security meeting was held, attended by officials from the Ministry of Defence and senior military commanders, after North Korea was detected firing the missiles.

“This ballistic missile launch is a serious act that violates UN Security Council resolutions,” the South Korean presidential office stressed, while urging North Korea to immediately cease such actions.

There has been no official statement from North Korea regarding its latest launch activity.

In a separate statement, Japanese authorities said the ballistic missiles launched by North Korea “have fallen” into the sea. Japan’s leading broadcaster, NHK, reported that the missiles appeared to have fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The North Korean missile launch occurred after US President Donald Trump said he would meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un by the end of the year, and as the shortened joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States concluded on Friday (20/8) local time.

Trump ordered a significant reduction in US participation in the joint exercises, citing his good relationship with Kim Jong Un as the reason.