North Korea Launches Ballistic Missile Ahead of U.S.-South Korea Military Drills

North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the sea on Wednesday, according to regional neighbors. This marks the second missile test in less than a week. The missile launch appears to be a response to forthcoming U.S.-South Korea military exercises, which North Korea perceives as a rehearsal for invasion.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported the missile launch occurred early Wednesday from the eastern coastal Wonsan area, headed toward North Korea’s eastern waters. In response, South Korea heightened its surveillance and coordinated closely with U.S. and Japanese officials.

Japan’s Defense Ministry also detected the launch, indicating the missile did not reach Japan’s exclusive economic zone. This suggests the missile landed further from the Japanese coast.

The missile tests are in the shadow of upcoming military drills between South Korea and the United States. The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise starts on Monday, lasting for 11 days. It will involve around 18,000 South Korean soldiers, maintaining the size of previous years. North Korea typically counters these drills with weapons tests and threatening language, viewing them as threats that necessitate expanding its nuclear capabilities. Conversely, the U.S. and South Korea emphasize that the drills are defensive measures.

Earlier, on August 6, South Korea, the U.S., and Japan observed North Korea launching a short-range ballistic missile. This was North Korea’s first ballistic test since June. North Korea has not confirmed the latest reports, although it generally announces weapon test details after the fact.

These actions continue North Korea’s pattern of weapon tests, which have increased since diplomatic efforts between Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump halted in 2019 over disagreements surrounding economic sanctions.