Japanese authorities on Thursday, October 29, 2026, reported that North Korea had fired a missile that may be ballistic and had already fallen, saying the launch occurred from the eastern coast of the Korean Peninsula. The announcement came as South Korean military officials confirmed that roughly a dozen short‑range ballistic missiles were launched from the Wonsan area, immediately heading toward the East Sea and traveling about 250 km.
Japanese Defense Ministry said earlier that the missile was a “what may be a ballistic missile” in a statement issued on October 29 and urged ships to keep distance from any fallen objects.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) confirmed that the launch was detected by radar and monitored by U.S. and South Korean forces, with no damage or casualties reported.
President Yoon Suk‑yeol called an emergency session of the Presidential Office, emphasizing the need for a swift governmental and allied response to the launch and that readiness plans were under review.
The JCS said the event prompted closer information‑sharing with U.S. and Japanese defense partners and that the missile’s flight path was being closely monitored.
Some South Korean reports also referenced an unidentified projectile that flew over the East Sea, but they did not say it was ballistic.
