North Korea fires ballistic missiles toward East Sea: Seoul

Missile launches detected

North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the East Sea early Monday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, with the projectiles traveling more than 900 kilometers from the Pyongyang area in the latest weapons test amid heightened regional tensions.

The launches were detected around 9:20 a.m. local time from the Pyongyang area, according to Yonhap News Agency. Japanese authorities also identified two suspected ballistic missiles that reportedly fell outside Tokyo's exclusive economic zone.

Escalating weapons tests

Seoul's military said it had intensified surveillance for additional launches and was sharing intelligence with the United States and Japan while maintaining heightened readiness. The latest test comes little over a week after Pyongyang's Oct. 3 launch of a suspected hypersonic missile from Wonsan, which it described as training for its strategic weapons system.

South Korea conducted its own first test launch of a hypersonic glide vehicle last Thursday, demonstrating its advanced missile capabilities in response to the North's weapons development.

DMZ tensions

Monday's launches come amid heightened tensions over a Sept. 21 land mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone that injured three South Korean soldiers, two seriously. Seoul accused North Korean troops of deliberately planting the devices following a joint investigation with the UN Command, a charge Pyongyang denied while warning of retaliation against any military counteraction.