North Korea's First Weapons Test Of 2026: Multiple Ballistic Missiles Fired Towards East Sea

Pyongyang: North Korea on Sunday fired multiple ballistic missiles towards the East Sea, South Korea's military said, marking Pyongyang's first weapons test of the year, Yonhap News reported.

According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the missiles were launched from areas near Pyongyang at around 7:50 am local time. The launches were detected as regional security remained on alert.

"Our military maintains a firm readiness posture while closely sharing North Korean ballistic missile information with the U.S. and Japan sides amid a heightened surveillance posture against additional launches," the JCS said in a statement.

The missile launch came at a sensitive moment, as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung was preparing to leave for Beijing for summit-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The timing also coincided with heightened global tensions following US President Donald Trump's announcement that Washington had captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro during a large-scale military operation.

North Korea's last missile test took place on November 7, when it fired a short-range ballistic missile towards the East Sea. That launch was the sixth ballistic missile test conducted by Pyongyang last year.

North Korea has repeatedly used missile launches to signal opposition to what it sees as hostile actions by the United States and its allies, often carrying out such tests during periods of heightened international tension, Yonhap News

Earlier, in October, North Korea displayed new hypersonic and long-range nuclear missiles during a large military parade in Pyongyang on Friday night to mark the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, Yonhap News reported, citing state media.

The parade took place in Kim Il Sung Square and showcased two major weapons the Hwasong-11Ma hypersonic missile and the Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which North Korean state media described as the country's "most powerful nuclear weapons."

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