North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles towards its east coast on Wednesday (8 April), South Korea’s military said, in a fresh show of force that underscored rising tensions despite brief signs of a possible thaw between the two sides.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said several short-range missiles were launched from near Wonsan at around 8:50 AM, flying approximately 700 kilometres. The launches followed a separate suspected ballistic missile fired a day earlier from near Pyongyang.
Officials in Seoul and Washington are conducting a detailed analysis, while South Korea convened an emergency National Security Council meeting, condemning the tests as a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Japan also reacted cautiously, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara confirming the missiles did not enter Japanese waters or cause damage, but warning they posed a threat to regional security.
The launches mark North Korea’s fourth and fifth ballistic missile tests this year, continuing a pattern of weapons development that Pyongyang insists is part of its sovereign right to self-defence, despite international sanctions.
A day earlier, North Korea appeared to strike a softer tone, describing South Korean President Lee Jae Myung as “wise” for expressing regret over earlier drone incursions.
However, that perception quickly shifted. Senior Foreign Ministry official Jang Kum Chol dismissed any notion of improved ties, stating that South Korea would remain an “enemy state”.
“The identity of the ROK… can never change,” he said, reinforcing Pyongyang’s long-standing position.
In response, South Korea’s presidential Blue House said hostile rhetoric did “nothing to promote peace and stability” on the Korean peninsula, adding that it would continue pursuing dialogue and coexistence.
Analysts say the rapid shift in Pyongyang's approach highlights a deliberate strategy.
Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said North Korea moved swiftly to shut down “overly optimistic” interpretations while continuing missile launches to reinforce its deterrence.
The two Koreas remain technically at war, as the 1950-1953 conflict ended in an armistice agreement rather than a peace treaty.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 21st of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 22nd of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
President Donald Trump said the United States will target Iran’s heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain site “pretty soon” as he meets with Lebanese president Michel Aoun. Meanwhile, U.S. forces carried out a 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran while Tehran continues to target Gulf countries.
Overnight U.S. strikes caused blackouts in southwestern Iran and hit the northwestern city of Tabriz for the first time. Separately, a U.S. soldier died in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian drone.
The United States has bombed Iran for an 11th consecutive night as the Pentagon says the war’s cost reach $37.5 billion. President Donald Trump threatens a heavy strike on the suspected Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site. Tehran warns that any attack could trigger a wider regional escalation.
Daniel Siad, a modelling scout whose name appeared in documents linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has been found dead at his home near Paris, French prosecutors said. He was 69.
Ukraine's new commander-in-chief, Mykhailo Drapatyi, takes charge at a pivotal stage of the war with Russia, facing mounting challenges including troop shortages, battlefield reform and the rapid evolution of drone warfare.
ASEAN foreign ministers opened the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila on 21 July, launching four days of talks that run until 24 July. The agenda includes South China Sea tensions, Myanmar’s conflict and growing U.S.-China rivalry.
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand has renewed calls for an immediate de-escalation and permanent ceasefire in the Middle East while she warned that the humanitarian situation had become "quite grave". Anand also raised concern over tensions in the South China Sea.
Pakistan has asked the U.S. for a $10 billion exchange stabilisation facility, according to a source briefed on the matter. If approved, the funding would bolster the country's foreign exchange reserves and provide a major boost to its cash-strapped economy.
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