North Korea fires ballistic missiles toward Sea of Japan

North Korea launched several short-range ballistic missiles on April 8 toward the Sea of Japan, Yonhap reports, citing South Korean military sources.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) of South Korea, the launches were detected around 8:50 a.m. from the Wonsan area, with the missiles travelling approximately 240 kilometres. This marks the fourth confirmed ballistic missile launch by North Korea this year.

The JCS stated that the armed forces are closely monitoring North Korea’s activities and remain ready to respond decisively in coordination with the United States. Intelligence had reportedly tracked preparations for the launch in advance.

The latest launch comes a day after North Korea fired an unidentified projectile from the Pyongyang area, which reportedly failed to reach its intended target.