News coverage showing file footage of a North Korean missile launch is seen on a screen at Seoul Station in Seoul on October 12, 2026. (AFP Photo)
North Korea on Oct. 12 fired multiple ballistic missiles off its east coast, Seoul’s military said, after weeks of mounting friction over a landmine explosion along their heavily fortified border.
Since the blast that injured three South Korean soldiers in the Seoul-controlled area of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), both countries have touted the test-firing of upgraded missile technology.
“Our military detected around 09:20 several ballistic missiles launched from the Pyongyang area towards the East Sea,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said on Oct. 12, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan.
“Our military has stepped up surveillance and vigilance against possible additional launches,” it added in its statement.
Japan’s Defense Ministry separately confirmed the launch of at least one suspected ballistic missile.
Some of the North Korean missiles detected flew more than 900 kilometers, the JCS said, while Seoul and longtime ally the United States were now conducting an analysis of their exact specifications.
South Korea’s National Security Office convened an emergency security meeting following the launch to review the country’s military readiness.
A joint Seoul-U.N. investigation last week concluded that North Korea had planted the landmines that exploded in the DMZ over a year ago, something Pyongyang has angrily denied.
