South Korea says North Korea fired several ballistic missiles toward Sea of Japan

South Korea's military said North Korea fired several ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan on Monday, according to a report by News1 citing the Republic of Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The launch took place at about 9:20 a.m. local time, or 0:20 a.m. GMT, from an area near Pyongyang, the JCS said. The missiles flew approximately 900 kilometers, according to the South Korean assessment.

The South Korean military said it is maintaining readiness for any additional launches and is exchanging information with the United States and Japan. Earlier, Seoul had said that an unidentified projectile had been fired by the North, without providing further details at that stage.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea last carried out a ballistic missile test launch on October 3, according to the report. On that occasion, the projectile was fired toward the Sea of Japan from the Wonsan area.

Monday's launch is the latest in a series of missile tests by the DPRK, which has continued such activities despite international attention and diplomatic efforts. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff did not immediately provide additional information about the type of missiles used or their exact trajectory beyond the reported flight distance.

Regional neighbors, including Japan, have previously responded to North Korean launches by issuing maritime and aviation warnings and monitoring the projectiles. The United States, which maintains a security alliance with South Korea, has also tracked such launches in coordination with Seoul and Tokyo.

According to Mehr News, citing News1 and South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, the missiles were fired from near Pyongyang and traveled about 900 kilometers toward the Sea of Japan, with Seoul saying it remains ready for further launches and is sharing information with Washington and Tokyo.