North Korea Fires Missile into East Sea as Japan Boosts Military
North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile on Thursday, South Korea's military said, in an action that came a day after a senior North Korean official criticised Japan's plans to strengthen its military capabilities.
The missile was launched from the Wonsan area at approximately 5:00 pm (0800 GMT), according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). It travelled towards the East Sea, also referred to as the Sea of Japan. The JCS said it detected the launch and has since reinforced surveillance and maintains full readiness for any additional launches.
The Japanese Defence Ministry said on social media platform X that "something that may be a ballistic missile has been launched from North Korea." A subsequent post said there was "no longer any impact on the areas around Japan."
Earlier this week, Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Japan's military needs to be strengthened with a "sense of urgency and crisis," citing a government assessment that warned of growing threats from China, Russia, and North Korea.
On Wednesday, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said in a statement carried by state media that Pyongyang's "leadership will set up additional military options which are obviously due to Japan's transformation."
The launch is the latest in a series of weapons tests by North Korea, which has repeatedly declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear state since the 2019 summit between Kim Jong Un and then-U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed over disagreements on denuclearisation and sanctions relief.
Japan's Defence Ministry declined to comment directly on Kim Yo Jong's statement but reiterated that the country's defence capabilities "remain bare minimum" and "are not meant to threaten other countries."
"Ours isn't the defence meant to wage wars, but to prevent new wars, strictly kept to self-defence and within the scope of our (pacifist) Constitution and international laws," the ministry said.
Japan has been steadily increasing its defence spending, raising its military budget by 9.7% to $62.2 billion in 2025, which is equivalent to 1.4% of GDP, the highest share since 1958. This shift has drawn criticism from China, a key ally of North Korea, which has expressed alarm at what it perceives as a "new militarism" by Japan.
North Korea has also deepened its economic and military cooperation with Russia. Analysts say Pyongyang has supplied troops and munitions for Moscow's war in Ukraine in exchange for financial support, food, energy, and military technology.
On the Korean Peninsula, tensions remain high. The two Koreas are technically still at war, as the 1950-53 conflict ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung, who took office in June 2025, has adopted a more conciliatory approach towards North Korea, offering talks without preconditions. North Korea has not yet responded to his repeated offers.
The JCS said that South Korea has been sharing information on the missile launch with the United States and Japan, its security allies, as they continue to monitor the situation.
