FILE – In this photo provided by the North Korean government, its leader Kim Jong Un, center, walks to observe a test launch of missiles at an undisclosed location in North Korea, Sunday, April 12, 2026. Independent journalists were not allowed to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is provided and cannot be independently verified. The Korean language watermark on the image provided by the source reads: “KCNA” which is an acronym for the Korean Central News Agency.
AP/KCNA via KNS
hide caption
toggle caption
AP/KCNA via KNS
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea fired several ballistic missiles toward the sea on Sunday, its neighbors said, the North’s latest weapons testing activity this year.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launch took place Sunday morning from North Korea’s eastern Sinpo region. It said South Korea has strengthened its surveillance posture and is closely exchanging information with the US and Japan.
South Korea’s presidential office said its National Security Council planned to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the launches.
Japan’s Defense Ministry also detected launches and said the weapons were believed to have fallen in waters off North Korea’s east coast. It said Tokyo strongly protested to Pyongyang, saying Sunday’s launch threatened regional and international peace and violated UN Security Council resolutions that ban any ballistic activities by North Korea.
Last week, North Korea said leader Kim Jong Un monitored missile tests from the country’s destroyers. After the test, Kim said his government was focused on “unlimited expansion” of its nuclear forces and issued unspecified new actions to sharpen the country’s nuclear strike and quick response capabilities.
International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said last week that his agency had confirmed a “rapid increase” in activity at nuclear facilities in North Korea.
