North Korea has fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea, close to the Chinese border.
Reports from officials in Seoul, South Korea’s capital, indicate that this launch occurred just days after a visit from Peter Brian Hegseth, an American government official, author, former television personality, and the current U.S. Secretary of Defense since 2025.
The short-range missile is believed to have traveled approximately 700 kilometers (435 miles) before landing in the East Sea, also referred to as the Sea of Japan, near the Chinese border.
The South Korean military confirmed that at least one ballistic missile was launched into its eastern waters shortly after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit to South Korea for annual security talks.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the missile flew 700 kilometers (435 miles) toward the East Sea.
The Japanese government also acknowledged the missile launch, noting that it likely fell in waters outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
This missile test from Pyongyang took place four days after South Korea reported that North Korea had fired 10 rounds of artillery into its western waters, and about a week after U.S. President Donald Trump authorized Seoul to develop a nuclear-powered submarine.
Experts believe this development will significantly enhance South Korea’s naval and defense capabilities, allowing it to join a select group of nations operating such submarines.
A South Korean presidential official stated on Friday that the country aims to acquire enriched uranium from the U.S. to fuel its domestically built nuclear-powered submarine.
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Since taking office earlier this year, both Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung have sought to revive dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. However, Kim has avoided discussions with Washington and Seoul since negotiations with the U.S. collapsed in 2019.
In September, Kim expressed a willingness to engage in talks if the U.S. dropped its demands for North Korea to give up its nuclear arsenal, reiterating that his country is an “irreversible” nuclear state.
This week, North Korean and Russian military officials met in Pyongyang to discuss enhancing cooperation, as reported by North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Pak Yong Il, vice director of the Korean People’s Army’s General Political Bureau, met with a Russian delegation led by Vice Defense Minister Viktor Goremykin on Wednesday.
KCNA stated that the allies discussed strengthening their ties as part of the “deepened bilateral relations” established between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Earlier this week, South Korea’s intelligence agency reported detecting potential recruitment and training activities in North Korea, which could suggest a possible further deployment of troops to Russia.
