The move came as South Korea and the United States have been conducting an annual joint military exercise, News.Az reports, citing Kyodo.
The projectiles were launched eastward from the Sunan area near Pyongyang at around 1:20 p.m., according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Japanese Defense Ministry also detected missile launches, with the projectiles having apparently fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
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The ministry said the missiles reached a maximum altitude of approximately 80 kilometers and flew about 340 km.
North Korea’s launch of 10 or more missiles at one time is rare. It fired 18 short-ranged ballistic missiles on May 30, 2024.
The Japanese government condemned the North Korean move and lodged a “strong protest” through its embassy in Beijing, it said.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi instructed her government to gather information and ensure the safety of planes and ships. No damage due to the launches has been reported in Japan so far.
North Korea last fired ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan on Jan. 27, which were also assessed to have fallen outside Japan’s EEZ. On the following day, the country’s official media reported it had tested a large-caliber multiple rocket launcher system equipped with new technology.
South Korea and the United States started on Monday the Freedom Shield exercise through next Thursday to strengthen the alliance’s collective response and improve joint readiness.
