North Korea launches ballistic missiles as President Lee departs for China

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Published: 04 Jan. 2026, 08:31 Updated: 04 Jan. 2026, 15:11

LIM JEONG-WON
[email protected]

People watch a news broadcast at the waiting room of Seoul Station in Jung District, central Seoul, as North Korea fired ballistic missiles on Oct. 22, 2025. [NEWS1]

North Korea fired several ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Sunday morning, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

Marking Pyongyang’s first ballistic missile launch of the New Year, Sunday’s launches were also the first in about two months since a short-range ballistic missile was fired on Nov. 7 last year.

The launches came as President Lee Jae Myung departed on a four-day state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The issue of North Korea’s denuclearization is expected to be discussed at the Seoul-Beijing summit on Monday.

The launches on Sunday occurred immediately after U.S. President Donald Trump had announced Saturday that Washington had ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro through military action.

Update, Jan. 4: More details about the North Korean missile launches added.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [[email protected]]