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Blue House urges North Korea to halt 'provocations' after missile test

Published: 19 Apr. 2026, 15:10 Updated: 19 Apr. 2026, 15:11

LEE SOO-JUNG
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SARAH KIM
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The Blue House in central Seoul is seen in a photo taken in 2021. [NEWS1]

The Blue House on Sunday urged North Korea to halt its "provocations" regarding multiple launches of short-range ballistic missiles earlier in the day, noting that they violated United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The North fired multiple ballistic missiles from Sinpo, South Hamgyong Province, toward the East Sea at around 6:10 a.m. on Sunday, according to the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

Sunday’s projectiles are reported to have flown about 140 kilometers (86 miles). The military said it is conducting further analysis.

South Korean military officials analyzed the launches at an emergency meeting to monitor the situation, overseen by Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Hyun-jong, according to a statement from Blue House spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.

While the South Korean and U.S. militaries are jointly assessing the specifics of the projectiles, authorities are reportedly considering the possibility that they were submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) due to the apparent launch location. In the Sinpo site, a so-called tactical nuclear attack submarine, the Hero Kim Kun Ok, was spotted along with another submarine that previously fired SLBMs.

As the launches appear to have targeted Alsom, an island in North Hamgyong Province often used as a target in weapon tests, Sunday's firing was seemingly intended to evaluate the precision of aiming capabilities, according to a report from Yonhap News Agency.

The national security office instructed relevant state authorities and ministries to maintain a vigilant readiness posture with President Lee Jae Myung embarking on state visits to India and Vietnam on the same day. The president was briefed on the details of the regime’s latest missile launches, according to Kang.

North Korea last launched short-range ballistic missiles on April 8. It also launched an unidentified projectile on April 7, which disappeared after showing abnormal signs early in its flight.

Sunday's launch marks the seventh ballistic missile launch by the North this year.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG, SARAH KIM [[email protected]]