North Korea's missile launches reaffirm hostile stance toward South, experts say
Published: 08 Apr. 2026, 19:06
Updated: 08 Apr. 2026, 20:11
![North Korean leader Kim Jong-un supervised a joint strike drill involving long-range artillery and missile systems on April 8, the Rodong Sinmun reported on April 9. The exercise involved 600 millimeter multiple rocket launchers and the Hwasong-11Ga tactical ballistic missile. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/08/6234e955-0778-4e41-a35c-49a3b2f53c9b.jpg)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un supervised a joint strike drill involving long-range artillery and missile systems on April 8, the Rodong Sinmun reported on April 9. The exercise involved 600 millimeter multiple rocket launchers and the Hwasong-11Ga tactical ballistic missile. [NEWS1]
North Korea's series of ballistic missiles fired over Tuesday and Wednesday reaffirms its “hostile two-state relations” stance toward the South, despite President Lee Jae Myung's expression of regret over the infiltration of drones into the North, experts assess.
South Korean military authorities detected several short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area in Kangwon Province at around 8:50 a.m. on Wednesday. The missiles traveled 240 kilometers (149 miles) before splashing into the East Sea.
Based on their range and flight time, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said that the missiles are likely KN-23, often referred to as North Korea’s version of Russia's Iskander. The KN-23 is a key weapon designed to strike major military and government facilities in Seoul and its surrounding areas. The model has also been exported to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine.
North Korea refers to the KN-23 as the Hwasong-11. The Hwasong-11Ma, a variant of the KN-23 missile, is equipped with a hypersonic glide vehicle — a maneuverable warhead that travels at speeds exceeding five times the speed of sound and glides through the atmosphere after launch, making it harder to track and intercept than a traditional ballistic missile. The North last launched the missile on Jan. 4, the same day President Lee made his official visit to China.
![North Korean leader Kim Jong-un [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/08/ec7a60f9-d0d0-43c3-afe1-d8ff1d2f84fa.jpg)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un [NEWS1]
North Korea fired another ballistic missile, also believed to be a KN-23, toward the East Sea on Wednesday afternoon, at around 2:20 p.m. The JCS said the missile flew more than 700 kilometers, suggesting the morning launch may have tested precision while the afternoon launch focused on maximum range.
A day earlier, on Tuesday, North Korea fired several projectiles from the Pyongyang area, but their flight trajectory was lost shortly after launch, leading the South Korean military to assess the test as a failure. While the Joint Chiefs of Staff had initially described them as unidentified projectiles, the United States Indo-Pacific Command later confirmed they were ballistic missiles.
The Office of National Security at the Blue House held an emergency meeting on Wednesday, attended by officials from the Defense Ministry and the JCS, and condemned the North's latest ballistic missile launch as a "provocative act that violates UN Security Council resolutions" and urged Pyongyang to stop immediately.
Experts remain divided on the motive behind the string of launches, with some suggesting they were intended to compensate for Tuesday’s failed test, while others view them as part of a separate testing schedule.
Still, the back-to-back launches are widely interpreted as a demonstration that North Korea’s “hostile two-state relations” policy remains unchanged, despite repeated expressions of regret from South Korean officials over the drone incident.
Several unauthorized civilian drones were launched from South Korea into North Korean airspace between September 2025 and January.
![President Lee Jae Myung speaks during the 14th Cabinet meeting and the fourth emergency economic review meeting held at the presidential office in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on April 6. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/08/c4408891-e078-40c7-b8ad-b46eb6cebcbe.jpg)
President Lee Jae Myung speaks during the 14th Cabinet meeting and the fourth emergency economic review meeting held at the presidential office in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on April 6. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
President Lee on Monday expressed regret over the drone incident, stating, “Although it was not the intention of our government, I express regret to North Korea over the unnecessary military tension caused by some irresponsible and reckless actions." Three individuals were indicted last week in connection with the case.
Later that evening, Kim Yo-jong, a department director of North Korea's ruling party, responded favorably in a statement carried by Korean Central News Agency, stating, “Our head of state commented on it as a manifestation of a frank and broad-minded man's attitude," a remark initially interpreted as a positive response and a possible signal of thawing inter-Korean relations.
North Korea, however, quickly walked back that impression. In a separate statement issued late Tuesday, Jang Kum-chol, the North’s first vice foreign minister, said, “If the South interprets our response as an ‘unusually friendly reaction’ or ‘swift mutual communication between leaders,’ it is nothing more than the daydream of foolish people.”
Jang added that the essence of Kim Yo-jong’s earlier statement was a “clear warning,” summarizing it as a message that the South must acknowledge its wrongdoing, prevent recurrence and refrain from further provocations.
In response, the South Korean presidential office said the remarks were unhelpful. “Criticism and insulting remarks do not help peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” it said during Wednesday's Cabinet meeting, adding that the government would continue efforts toward peaceful coexistence based on mutual respect and hopes the North will respond accordingly.
BY LEE YU-JUNG, CHUNG YEONG-GYO [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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