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North Korea launches unidentified projectile toward East Sea

Published: 08 Apr. 2026, 11:01

North Korea conducts a test launch of a new high-altitude, long-range surface-to-air missile over the East Sea on March 24 under the observation of its leader Kim Jong-un [YONHAP]

North Korea fired an unidentified projectile toward the East Sea Wednesday morning, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

It marks a second consecutive day of launches after another unidentified projectile was launched eastward from the Pyongyang area on Tuesday. It showed signs of abnormality in its early stage and disappeared.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it is likely to have been a ballistic missile and assessed that North Korea continued its missile test launches through Wednesday after the seeming failure the previous day.

The launches began the day after Kim Yo-jong, a department director of North Korea’s ruling party, commented on President Lee Jae Myung’s expression of regret over the over civilian drones from the South that were illegally launched into North Korea from late last year to January, saying, "Our head of state commented on it as a manifestation of a frank and broad-minded man's attitude."

The move is interpreted as an attempt to demonstrate that its hostile policy toward the South remains unchanged.

BY KIM JE-HYE [[email protected]]