North Korea fired a salvo of short-range ballistic missiles early Wednesday, September 17, Seoul's military said, Pyongyang's second such weapons test in a week.
Leader Kim Jong Un's regime has staged dozens of launches this year, part of a testing spree that experts say could be linked to North Korea's alleged illicit supplying of weapons to ally Russia for use in Ukraine.
Pyongyang has denied any sanctions-busting weapons trade with Russia, but with diplomacy long stalled, it declared South Korea its "principal enemy" this year and recently moved nuclear-capable weapons to border areas.
Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it had "detected and (was) analyzing several short-range ballistic missiles launched to the northeast around 06:50". "In preparation for additional launches, our military has strengthened monitoring and vigilance, while closely sharing information," with allies Tokyo and Washington, it added.
Tokyo also confirmed the launch, with the country's coastguard saying one missile had splashed down already. "Vessels please pay attention to information coming ahead and if you spot fallen objects please don't approach closer but report it to the coastguard," it said in a statement.
Last Thursday, the North fired what Seoul described as multiple short-range ballistic missiles into waters east of the Korean peninsula, the nuclear-armed country's first major weapons test since early July. North Korean state media later claimed that this had been a test of a "new-type 600mm multiple rocket launcher" which was overseen by Kim.
North Korea has recently bolstered military ties with Moscow, with President Vladimir Putin making a rare visit to Pyongyang in June, where he signed a mutual defense agreement with Kim. Experts have long said North Korean missiles are being deployed in Ukraine.