SEOUL, 12 September 2026 (Kamran Raja): North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area toward the sea off its east coast on Saturday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. The missiles were launched at around 5:20 a.m. local time and flew approximately 250 kilometres before landing in the sea. South Korean and U.S. authorities were conducting a detailed analysis of the missiles’ specifications, while intelligence agencies from South Korea, the United States and Japan shared information on the launches. The JCS said South Korea’s military was closely monitoring North Korean activities and maintaining a strong readiness to respond to any provocation under its combined defence posture with the United States. South Korea’s presidential National Security Office also convened an emergency security meeting involving the defence ministry, the JCS and other relevant agencies to assess the security impact and determine necessary measures. The presidential office urged Pyongyang to immediately halt ballistic missile launches, describing them as a serious violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. U.S. Pacific Command said it was aware of the launches and was consulting closely with allies and partners, adding that the missiles did not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, territory or allies based on its current assessment. The launch came a day after South Korea, Japan and the United States concluded joint military exercises aimed at strengthening readiness against North Korea’s missile and nuclear threats. Last month, North Korea launched more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles during ongoing South Korea-U.S. military drills, while U.S. President Donald Trump has said he expects to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year.