What happened
North Korea has fired multiple ballistic missiles into eastern waters, with one missile traveling over 900 km. The launch was detected by South Korea's military, which reported that the missiles were fired from an area near the North Korean capital of Pyongyang.
According to Japan's Defense Ministry, at least two missiles were detected, and they landed in waters outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. No damage has been reported.
The latest launch is part of a recent streak of weapons tests by North Korea, which has been seeking to expand its arsenal of nuclear-capable systems. The country has also conducted other missile tests and live-fire drills, and has commissioned a new warship.
The launch came days after South Korea tested its own domestically developed hypersonic weapon, which is designed to fly at least five times the speed of sound and evade missile defense systems.
South Korea's presidential national security office has called for North Korea to immediately cease its repeated ballistic launches, which violate UN Security Council resolutions.
