North Korea fires two projectiles into East Sea, Seoul and Tokyo protest

September 20, 2026 at 03:55 PM2 min

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North Korea fired two projectiles into the East Sea on Sunday, according to South Korea's military. Seoul and Tokyo suspect the objects were ballistic missiles and have lodged protests, calling the launches a threat to regional security.

Key Facts

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the first launch occurred near Wonsan at about 3:00 p.m. local time and the projectile flew approximately 450 kilometers into the East Sea.
South Korea's Defense Ministry confirmed at least one of the two projectiles was a ballistic missile.
Japan's Prime Minister's Office confirmed the launches and lodged a stern protest with North Korea.
South Korea's presidential National Security Office held an emergency meeting after the first launch and urged North Korea to immediately halt ballistic missile tests.
The launches came eight days after North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea.

Launch Details

North Korea fired two projectiles into the East Sea on Sunday, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The first launch took place near Wonsan at approximately 3:00 p.m. local time, and the projectile traveled about 450 kilometers. South Korea's Defense Ministry confirmed that at least one of the objects was a ballistic missile. Details of the second launch remained unclear, but the ministry confirmed it had occurred.

Regional Response

South Korea's presidential National Security Office convened an emergency security meeting after the first launch. Seoul called on North Korea to immediately halt ballistic missile tests, describing them as a serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions. Japan's Prime Minister's Office confirmed the two launches and said Tokyo suspected the objects were ballistic missiles. Tokyo lodged a stern protest with North Korea, stating that the launches threatened regional peace and security. South Korean and US authorities continued to analyze the technical characteristics of the missiles.

Nuclear Status Dispute

The launches followed North Korea's rejection of international pressure over its nuclear weapons program. Pyongyang objected to a resolution adopted at this week's IAEA General Conference calling on North Korea to halt nuclear activities. North Korea's Foreign Ministry said the resolution had no effect on the country's status as a nuclear weapons state. Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, had previously emphasized that the country's nuclear-armed status was absolute. In August, US President Donald Trump claimed North Korea possessed 57 nuclear weapons, while South Korea estimated the arsenal at 80 to 120 warheads.