On Saturday afternoon, North Korea simultaneously launched ten ballistic missiles into the East Sea. According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the missiles were fired from the Sunan area and are believed to have landed in the sea.
Following the launches, South Korea has heightened surveillance and is coordinating information-sharing and precautionary measures with the United States and Japan. Japan’s Prime Minister’s office has also confirmed the incident.
The missile launches are seen as a response to the “Freedom Shield” military exercises, which are scheduled to run from March 9 to March 19. North Korea has described these drills as aggressive. Kim Yo-jong, Deputy Department Director of the Workers’ Party of Korea, warned that military provocations by adversaries could have serious consequences for the country’s security.