North Korea Launches Multiple Ballistic Missiles into Sea of Japan

North Korea has recently conducted missile launches towards the Sea of Japan, with reports indicating that some missiles traveled over 900 kilometers. This action has drawn condemnation from Japan, which has lodged a formal protest, citing violations of UN Security Council resolutions. The situation has prompted heightened military readiness in both South Korea and Japan as they monitor North Korea's activities closely. This missile launch follows a previous incident earlier in October, raising concerns about regional security and stability. Read on for more details about the implications of these developments.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 12, 2026, 16:23 IST

Missile Launches by North Korea

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Tokyo, Oct 12: On Monday, North Korea launched several ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan, according to reports from local media. The military of South Korea indicated that some of these missiles traveled over 900 kilometers, while Japan noted that two of the missiles likely landed outside its exclusive economic zone.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) of South Korea reported that the missiles were launched from near Pyongyang around 9:20 AM local time, as per Japan's Kyodo News.

Takashi Koyari, Japan's parliamentary vice defense minister, stated that Japan has formally protested to North Korea through diplomatic channels, condemning the missile launches as violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Koyari mentioned, "We are currently analyzing the details, including whether the missiles followed an irregular flight path," and added that the second missile is estimated to have reached an altitude of 70 kilometers and traveled over 910 kilometers.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has instructed government agencies to prioritize gathering and evaluating information, ensuring it is communicated swiftly and accurately to the public, and to maintain safe navigation in both maritime and aerial spaces, as reported by Kyodo News.

This recent missile activity from North Korea follows a previous launch on October 3.

On that occasion, South Korea's military reported that North Korea had fired a ballistic missile towards the East Sea. The JCS noted that the missile was detected launching from the Wonsan area at approximately 6:30 AM local time, although it did not specify the type of missile involved, according to the South Korea-based Yonhap News Agency.

The JCS indicated that the missile flew over 700 kilometers before landing in the sea, and they are currently working with US intelligence to assess the specifics of the launch. They confirmed that South Korean and US intelligence agencies had been monitoring the missile launch from its early stages and shared pertinent information.

Furthermore, the JCS stated, "Our military is vigilantly observing various activities from the North while maintaining a strong South Korea-US defense posture and is prepared to respond decisively to any provocations."