North Korea fired a volley of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) into the East Sea on Thursday morning, in what South Korean military officials suspect may be linked to Pyongyang’s expanding arms exports and military cooperation with Russia.
According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), several missiles were launched from mobile platforms near the eastern port city of Wonsan between 8:10am and 9:20am local time. One missile reportedly travelled as far as 800 kilometres, although the total number of projectiles launched has yet to be confirmed.
JCS spokesperson Lee Sung Joon stated that the launches likely involved SRBM systems based on Russia’s Iskander missile design, along with large-calibre, self-propelled rocket artillery that straddles the line between conventional artillery and ballistic weapons due to their guided capabilities.
The tests mark North Korea’s sixth launch event this year and its first ballistic missile test since 10 March, when a similar barrage coincided with joint military drills between the United States and South Korea. This latest round of missile activity follows growing evidence of direct military collaboration between Pyongyang and Moscow, including the deployment of North Korean troops to the frontlines in Ukraine.
North Korean state media recently reported that leader Kim Jong Un had called on munition workers to increase artillery shell production to support allied forces. Just a day before the missile test, Pyongyang confirmed for the first time that North Korean forces were operating on Ukrainian soil, claiming to have assisted in the “complete liberation” of the Russian Kursk border region.
Moscow corroborated the claim, with President Vladimir Putin publicly thanking the North Korean government for its military support and pledging not to forget the sacrifices made by its troops.
At a United Nations Security Council session addressing the situation, Russia’s ambassador Vasily Nebenzya defended the cooperation, calling it a lawful exercise of sovereign diplomacy. “North Korea is our close neighbour and partner,” Nebenzya said. “Russia’s cooperation with North Korea is developed in conformity with international law and is not aimed against any third countries.”
Despite these reassurances, the missile launches and confirmation of North Korean troops on the Ukrainian battlefield have intensified regional tensions, drawing sharp scrutiny from Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo. Analysts warn that the military axis forming between Pyongyang and Moscow may have far-reaching implications for global security and the fragile balance on the Korean Peninsula.
