North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile, Raising Tensions in the Region

Shafaq News/ South Korea's military confirmed on Thursday that North Korea had launched a ballistic missile, adding to a series of weapons tests conducted by Pyongyang this year violating international sanctions.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul released a statement stating, "North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile towards the East Sea," referring known as the Sea of Japan.

Japan also verified the missile launch, with the Defense Ministry in Tokyo stating that North Korea had "fired what is believed to be a ballistic missile." The country's coast guard warned ships, urging caution and avoiding any objects that may have fallen into the sea.

The two countries remained technically at war since the Korean War from 1950 to 1953 ended in a truce without a peace treaty.

North Korea has escalated its weapons testing activities in recent months and declared its status as a nuclear power as "irreversible," effectively shutting the door on any future disarmament negotiations.

In response, South Korea and the United States have strengthened their military cooperation and increased large-scale joint exercises in the region. These actions have drawn the ire of Pyongyang, which perceives them as preparations for invasion or regime change.

A spokesperson for North Korea's defense ministry stated on Thursday that the ongoing joint exercises "target the DPRK through massive mobilization of various types of weapons and offensive equipment."

"Our response to this is inevitable," the statement, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, further declared. "Our armed forces will confront provocative actions and provocations by our enemies."