(2nd LD) N. Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles after S. Korea's hypersonic weapon test

South Korea announced on Monday that North Korea had launched multiple ballistic missiles towards the East Sea, in response to the South's successful test-fire of a hypersonic missile. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) confirmed the launch at around 9:20 a.m. from Pyongyang, with at least one missile covering more than 900 kilometers.

The JCS spokesperson, Jang Do-young, stated that the launch was interpreted as a protest against the successful South Korean test and a display of North Korea's defensive advancements. The JCS declined to specify whether the missiles were hypersonic or intermediate-range, emphasizing the need for further analysis. South Korea conducted its first test launch of a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) on Thursday, a move seen as a challenge to North Korea following a land mine blast on the South's side of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on September 21.

The North has denied responsibility, accusing Seoul of fabricating evidence. This latest missile launch follows another from the Wonsan area on October 3. North Korean state media claimed in the following days that Pyongyang had launched an intermediate-range strategic missile, part of their training efforts for missile troops operating the hypersonic strategic weapon system. The last ballistic missile launch from Pyongyang occurred on August 20.