North Korea fires ballistic missile: South Korean military
The ballistic missile launch comes as South Korea and the US plan to conduct major joint military drills to counter North Korea's evolving nuclear and weapons capabilities.
North Korea conducted a ballistic missile launch on August 12, 2026, from the Wonsan area on the east coast, according to South Korean and Japanese authorities. The missile was launched around 6 a.m. and flew approximately 700 km, though its exact type remains undetermined. This launch occurred just six days after another ballistic missile test from the same location.
The missile launch comes ahead of major joint military drills by South Korea and the United States, scheduled from August 17 to 27, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield. These drills aim to counter North Korea's evolving nuclear and weapons capabilities. South Korean and Japanese defense authorities strongly condemned the missile launch, with Japan lodging a protest with North Korea through diplomatic channels.
Despite the launch, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command stated that it posed no immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory or its allies.
Written by urgent.news from Channel News Asia's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
