[CBC News] The Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea launched multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea from the Sinpo area of South Hamgyong Province at about 6:10 a.m. on the 19th. Radar tracked the missiles flying roughly 140 km (about 87 miles).
U.S. and South Korean intelligence agencies are conducting a detailed analysis of the missiles' characteristics. Because Sinpo hosts a submarine base, analysts say the projectiles could be submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). Observers previously spotted the tactical nuclear attack submarine Kim Gun-ok Hero, launched in September 2023, and the 8·24 Hero — which has a record of past SLBM launches — in Sinpo.
If confirmed as SLBMs, this would be North Korea's first SLBM launch since May 7, 2022 — nearly four years. Compared with the 2022 SLBM flight of roughly 600 km (about 373 miles), this latest flight was much shorter, prompting speculation that it may be a new or modified system.
The military is evaluating multiple scenarios, including submarine, land-based and combined launches. The Joint Chiefs said ROK-U.S. intelligence had been tracking the activity and that South Korea, the United States and Japan have closely shared relevant information. They added that the ROK-U.S. combined defense posture remains robust and that the alliance is prepared to respond decisively to any North Korean provocation.
This was North Korea's first ballistic missile launch in 11 days, following an earlier launch on the 8th. Analysts say the recent string of tests may be intended to influence discussions about the Korean Peninsula ahead of a U.S.-China summit scheduled for midnext month. Others view the launches, including recent cluster-munition trials, as part of a broader effort to bolster Pyongyang's military capabilities.
Immediately after the launches, the National Security Office, led by First Deputy Director Kim Hyun-jong, convened an emergency security meeting with the Defense Ministry and other agencies to review response options.
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